IKEA goes greener with geothermal energy (Ballymun, Ireland)
Overview
Geothermal energy has emerged as a go-to solution to help IKEA achieve its sustainability targets. In Ballymun, Dublin, geothermal energy enabled IKEA to reduce its store’s greenhouse emissions by 65% – the equivalent of taking 300 homes off-grid!
As IKEA opened its doors in Ireland for the first time in 2009, it was important for the company to ensure that the highest environmental and energy efficiency standards were followed. The result was the installation of the largest closed-loop geothermal system in Europe at the time.
Technical Details
With more than 150 boreholes drilled 90 to 120m deep beneath the car park, the geothermal system is designed to handle both the heating and cooling of the ~30,600 m² building. This ensures that the Ballymun’s store gets at least 44% of its total energy requirement from renewable sources.
The system’s total thermal capacity is about 1.5–2.0 MWth, and it completely meets the building’s heating and cooling needs via a Building Management System.
The investment of € 1.75 million marked the most significant investment in geothermal technologies in the Irish market.
Summary
Commissioned in: 2009
Borehole depth: 90 to 120m
Capacity: 1.5–2.0 MWth
Total investment: € 1.75 million