Homemakers Furniture is installing a large solar array that the company says will convert one-third of the store’s annual power needs to solar energy. In a news release, company officials said that once complete, the project will be one of the largest private solar panel arrays in Iowa. The panels will cover more than 250,000 square feet of space and be installed on the upper and lower levels of the showroom room, as well as part of the warehouse roof. The array will consist of 2,988 bi-facial panels, which produce power from both the front and the back. According to the release, the light reflecting off the Urbandale store’s roof will maximize the power potential of the panels. The panels are being installed by 1 Source Solar of Ankeny. The project is expected to take about three months to complete, and will produce 1.33 megawatts of energy. Jason Merschman, Homemakers assistant vice president, said the project makes sense for the store not only because of the cost savings but because “it reinforces our commitment to building a business rooted in sustainability.”