​Global furniture giant IKEA has announced its plans to start selling renewable energy directly to customers in Sweden. In a new move for the company, Ikea will offer green electricity generated from wind and solar sources, working in partnership with Svea Solar. This will allow it to tap into the rapidly growing green energy market as the furniture retailer seeks to further diversify its business model into eco-friendly markets.

The company will be offering clean energy tariffs from September, and it aims to extend into other renewables and sustainable markets in the near future. The company is also hoping that its move will help to boost the development of wind and solar capacity just as demand is increasing for electrification of transport, heavy industry and many other products and services.

By moving into the retail energy market, Ikea will move further away from its original flat-pack furniture business and build on its existing business lines for banking, insurance and solar panels.

Customers in Sweden will pay a single flat fee each month alongside the rate of power traded wholesale on the Oslo Nord Pool Power Exchange. They will monitor their consumption via a phone app.

A Possible Self-Build Flat-Pack Future?

Meanwhile in the UK, there is movement in the self-build market with a new report suggesting that would-be British homeowners should be encouraged to build their own eco-friendly homes. Ikea once trialled flat-pack high-end and eco-friendly homes, and it will be interesting to see if the company is interested in moving back into this space as demand evolves for green and affordable housing. Modern eco-homes can be made from energy-efficient panels which are heavily insulated and which integrate with clean energies to make clean, green and sustainable SIPP homes.