IKEA has been selling solar panels produced by Hanergy in the UK and the Netherlands. IKEA and Hanergy just announced that they are expanding this partnership into Switzerland. Today, the residential solar panel offering was launched in Spreitenbach, Switzerland.

The solar panels have a low price of CHF 7,650 ($7,937), while the average price for a 4-kilowatt system is CHF 12,400 ($12,841), not including VAT. IKEA Family members benefit from a 15 percent discount.

Switzerland, like most nations, offers incentives for solar power. IKEA Is keen to note this near the top of its press release, which I received by email today. “For an average 4kW Hanergy system costing CHF 12400, a customer will receive a one-off payment of CHF 4800 from the Swiss Einmalvergütung scheme intended to incentivise solar uptake in the country and a further saving of up to CHF 1289 from tax deductions, as well as generating potential 25-year system lifetime earnings of over CHF 18000.”

The partnership started in the UK in 2013, and over 1800 solar panels have now been sold through IKEA there. The Netherlands stores just started selling the solar panels in October.

While many countries are incentivizing solar in order to reduce carbon emissions from coal and natural gas power plants, Switzerland is actually trying to cut back on its use of nuclear power. The country committed in 2011 to go nuclear-free, but it is still heavily reliant on the energy resource. “Swiss support for solar power comes at a time when the country’s government is working on reducing the level of energy it generates through nuclear power, which currently provides 37 percent of the country’s electricity. The first nuclear plant is scheduled to close in 2019 and will not be replaced.”

Interestingly, IKEA hasn’t chosen just any solar panels for its retail offering. Most rooftop solar panels are crystalline silicon solar panels, but Hanergy’s are of the thin-film variety. “Hanergy’s German manufactured solar panels use next generation thin film technology, which means they have an attractive ‘all-black’ appearance, perform well in low-light and cloudy conditions, and require less energy to produce than regular ‘silicon’ solar panels. The Hanergy home monitoring system helps consumers monitor their system’s electricity generation anytime, anywhere and can be integrated with a smartphone. Hanergy also offers a 25 years performance guarantee on the solar panels, which warrants a minimum of 80 percent of rated capacity after 25 years.” It’s an impressive offering.

Aside from these first three countries, IKEA is supposed to be announcing the sale of solar panels in 5 more countries soon. IKEA is a 2015 Zayed Future Energy Prize finalist for this leadership as well as its huge leadership installing solar and wind power plants for its own electricity needs and other notable sustainability initiatives.

Image Credit: IKEA

Originallu published on Sustainnovate.