Ilmatar Energy, the Finnish power generation company, is chaperoning its subsidiary to build a 450 MW solar farm. This solar park, located in Sweden, will be the largest in Northern Europe.
Strengthening Ilmatar Energy’s presence in Sweden
Ilmatar Energy is counting on its experience to build this new solar park. It will be built in Halland County, Sweden. With a capacity of 450 MW, it will meet the needs of some 25,000 households.
Ilmatar Energy is investing more and more in the country. However, solar energy remains a new element of their development strategy. By building the largest solar park in Northern Europe, the company is demonstrating its capacity for development.
Antti Keskinen, Ilmatar Energy’s Business Development Manager, says:
“Our solar team has and will work hard in Finland and Sweden, where the potential for solar power is enormous. Solar power has the obvious advantages of a lightweight structure and rapid scaling, as well as many synergies with our wind power production.”
Preserving Swedish biodiversity
The challenge is to preserve the fauna and flora present, as well as the current state of the natural landscape. Therefore, Ilmatar Energy had to apply for a permit and an agreement to lease the land. This agreement was signed by Silvestica Green Forest Sverige AB. The company owns many hectares of forests in Sweden and allows their access to private investors through a certification that it grants.
In Sweden, the population is more favorable to photovoltaic installations than to wind power. But above all, Swedish energy policy is also turning more and more to renewable energy. The goal: to replace nuclear energy.
However, Sweden remains a territory with little sunshine, especially in winter. This makes experts fear a perpetual dependence on nuclear power. However, renewable electricity could bring prices down, especially in the south of the country.
The project is also committed to social justice, as Rickard Lehmann, CEO of Silvestica, explains. He comments:
“The income generated by Silvestica Park will strengthen the pensions of ordinary (Swedish) pensioners through our investors, the pension service providers.”
