Better Energy's Studsvik solar park showcases importance of partnerships in the Swedish energy sector
Construction is underway at Better Energy's solar park in Studsvik, South of Stockholm.
The solar park will cover 23 hectares and deliver 25 GWh of renewable energy annually, equivalent to the power consumption of 4,000 Swedish households. The Studsvik project is the result of a unique collaboration among entities in the Swedish energy industry.
One of the largest solar parks in Sweden
Construction is progressing at Better Energy’s solar park in Studsvik, located within the Nyköping municipality in Sweden. With 23 hectares and an annual production of 25 GWh of renewable energy, the solar park is expected to be one of the largest in Sweden by the estimated grid connection in late 2024. The solar park is being constructed on industrial land within the Studsvik Tech Park.
"With our solar park in Studsvik, Better Energy is breaking new ground, quite literally. This is an important project that demonstrates the possibility of building on rocky and hilly terrain in Sweden, opening up opportunities for constructing solar parks in areas where it was not previously feasible," says Andreas Brännström, CEO of Better Energy Sweden.
Partnerships integral to the project
The Studsvik solar park results from strategic collaborations within the Swedish energy sector, something Andreas Brännström emphasises as crucial for the project and the broader green transition. Better Energy leases the land from Studsvik, the operator of Studsvik Tech Park, showcasing how different companies within the Swedish energy sector can collectively contribute to accelerating the green transition in Sweden.
"For us to succeed in the transition to fossil-free energy sources, it's important that stakeholders in the Swedish energy sector take responsibility and work together. The solar park currently under construction in Studsvik is a fine example of this. It was Senergia that presented the project idea to us at Better Energy Sweden, and their network and industry and product knowledge have been invaluable for the project from conception to realisation," explains Andreas Brännström.
Senergia, a leading distributor of solar energy solutions in the Nordic region, also sees the direct benefit of partnerships for the green transition.
"These groundbreaking projects become possible thanks to significant commitment, entrepreneurship, and shared knowledge among several actors," says Thomas Lithner, CEO and founder of Senergia. "At Senergia, we see the direct advantage of collaboration between different parties in the energy industry. We want to be part of these collaborations and contribute to a faster process and the development of more renewable energy projects in the Nordic region."
"It has been a smooth process from the start thanks to the collaboration with Studsvik, its Tech Park, Senergia, Vattenfall, and not least the municipality. Nyköping municipality appointed a contact person early in the process who supported the permitting and building permit processes," adds Andreas Brännström.
The role of solar energy in the green transition
With Sweden's climate goal to be fossil-free by 2045, the development of new projects in renewable energy becomes increasingly important.
Better Energy contributes to the Swedish green transition by producing renewable energy that reduces CO2 emissions and is more cost-effective than coal, oil, and gas. It owns the entire value chain, meaning it develops, builds and operates solar parks, an approach that is unique in the Swedish solar energy industry.
Its solar parks are developed on market terms without government subsidies through power purchase agreements (PPAs), enabling companies to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to the green transition. Earlier this year, Better Energy and Vestre announced a PPA partnership on the Studsvik solar park. The agreement means that the Scandinavian urban furniture manufacturer will purchase enough renewable electricity to cover the entire energy consumption for its Swedish operations.