Distributed Energy

Furniture Retailer Room & Board Installs 1.05-MW Solar at Minnesota HQ

June 17, 2024

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Cedar Creek Energy, a developer of solar energy solutions, has completed a substantial solar photovoltaic array at furniture and decor retailer, Room & Board's Golden Valley, Minnesota headquarters to help power 100 percent of the retailer’s operations with renewable electricity by 2030.

The location serves as a national delivery center, weekend outlet, and employs nearly 200 individuals.

Cedar Creek Energy has designed and installed a 1.05 MW DC rooftop solar array, expected to produce approximately 1.3 million kWh in its first year, offsetting 120 percent of the facility's electricity usage, effectively powering the entire operation with solar electricity. The installation will reduce over 2 million pounds of CO2 emissions annually.

"Our goal is to be a sustainability leader that positively impacts society and the world. Our solar array project with Cedar Creek Energy is a significant step toward our long-term goal to become climate neutral in our operations," said Mick Aeshliman, Sustainability Manager at Room & Board.

The installation process was focused on creating a solution supporting Room & Board's operational efficiencies and sustainability objectives. Cedar Creek Energy also assisted Room & Board in securing the Xcel Energy PV Demand Credit, which rewards reductions in electricity use during peak energy demand periods.

Cedar Creek has worked with numerous companies and public service entities in the Great Lakes region to develop renewable energy projects. Among those are a solar array for the city of Becker’s wastewater treatment facility, as well as a solar array for the municipal fire department in Superior, Wisconsin.

Room & Board operates 22 stores in 12 states and also has 13 distribution centers within the U.S.

Many retailers globally are pursuing carbon-reduction and energy resiliency solutions, including microgrids. Costco, Ikea and Chick-Fil-A are among those contracting for on-site power projects.

About the Author

Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World.

EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.