You know that a technology has become mainstream, when you can buy it at a big box outlet.  In California, several Same’s Club outlets are offering solar panel packages.  Soon IKEA will be offering solar panels, and other green technologies as well.

According to Inhabitat, IKEA has a $77 million Green Tech fund that it will use to invest in a variety of green technologies from solar panels to smart energy meters. 

Cleantech reports that IKEA has five main areas for green investment-“solar panels, alternative light sources, product materials, energy efficiency, and water saving and purification.” 

IKEA is already looking at companies to invest in and will begin investing this year.  The company looks to invest in about ten companies and plans to be actively involved on the boards of its greentech investments. 

With approximately 270 stores in 35 countries, IKEA’s foray into greentech products will have a major impact on the cost and accessibility of greentech products.  No longer will greentech merely be offered by a select few environmentally friendly companies.  Greentech will be available to the masses at prices more than the well-off can afford.

As with all things offered by the Swedish company, Johan Stenebo, managing director of Ikea GreenTech states that its main goal will be:

Really low prices, and they should be of very good quality. That’s the only thing we look at, we would never look at anything else, we would discard anything else that doesn’t fall into those boundaries, he said. Whether it’s home furnishings or it’s greentech products.

IKEA currently designs its own brand of furniture working with 1,300 suppliers in 50 countries.  IKEA already flat packs most of its furniture to cut down on shipping costs and waste.

IKEA plans to be able to stock its shelves with the products from its greentech investments within the next three to four years.  Hopefully, IKEA will build a store in my area to help me take advantage of its greentech offerings.

via Inhabitat and Cleantech

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Entry was posted on Saturday, August 16th, 2008 at 11:19 am under Green Technology.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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