IKEA announced recently that they have purchased a 46-megawatt wind farm in Pincher Creek, Alberta, that they believe will generate twice the total energy consumption of its stores across Canada. IKEA’s Canadian president has said that IKEA is able to, “support the transition to a low-carbon future, reduce our energy and operating costs and pass those benefits on to our customers by continuing to offer high quality home furnishings at low prices,” which I find hard to believe. Though IKEA is not releasing the dollar amount of the deal, typically clean energy is more expensive and complicated to utilize, and if IKEA plans on expanding their eco-friendly image and using renewable energy in all their stores, their costs will most likely go up, thus causing prices of their goods to increase. According to the article, IKEA is planning on investing $2.1 billion CDN in renewable energy projects over the next few years. IKEA’s environmental responsibility will surely improve their image, especially since large corporations are typically seen as destroying the environment, and it will prove to be very beneficial to the planet, but there is no way that this eco-freindly initiative will lower costs and keep prices down for consumers.

Picture: http://jy-s.com/2009/06/04/ikea-says-no-to-plastic-bags/

http://www.bnn.ca/News/2013/11/14/IKEA-eyes-low-carbon-future-with-Alberta-wind-energy-project.aspx