Sweden adds 90 MW hybrid solar-wind plant to support northern grid

Sweden has announced that Danish renewables developer European Energy has added a massive 90 MW hybrid solar-wind plant to the nation’s grid. The project is the first of its kind for the Swedes and underscores the importance of the transition in the energy sector in Europe currently taking place. Europe is leading the way in the move away from fossil fuels towards the renewable energy sector, which aligns with the goals of the Paris climate accord. European Energy has stated that it has plans to build more renewable energy sites across Europe and the world.

European Energy has built something truly unique in the southern county of Kronoberg, Sweden

The Swedish people are remarkably capable of adapting to the needs of the planet. They have an unsurpassed reputation for developing innovative measures that enable the populace to influence government policy.

As such, any projects that are due to be constructed in the country require intense public engagement and innovative measures to be implemented to enable the fostering of growth in any sector. European Energy, which is a multinational company with operations across the world, announced that the project located in the southern county of Kronoberg, known as the Skåramåla project, is the first of three hybrid solar-wind projects the company is developing in Sweden.

The company announced that the Skåramåla project comprises 39.3MWp of solar PV and 49.6MW of wind power, and is the first of its kind in the nation. The entire construction process took approximately four years to complete. European Energy undertook biodiversity initiatives at the plant, which include:

• Preserving the water ponds near the site
• creating natural habitats around the hybrid park’s surroundings
• sowing plants that benefit pollinators

The developer noted that it has plans for more renewable plants in Sweden and beyond

The company stated recently that the Skåramåla project is the first of three planned sites in Sweden. The second is the Grevekulla project, which is currently in the construction phase, and will combine 38MW of solar PV with the existing Grevekulla wind farm of 36MW in southern Sweden. That project is due to come online in 2026.

European Energy’s leadership released a statement outlining the plans for the site while also praising the progress made.

“This is a milestone for renewable electricity in Sweden, but also for European Energy, since it is the first hybrid park we have developed, built, and are operating ourselves. By combining solar and wind in the same location, we achieve a more even production and can make more efficient use of land and infrastructure,” –  Thorvald Spanggaard, executive VP and head of project development at European Energy

European Energy boasts a huge presence in the energy sector as it has a renewables development pipeline of almost 65GW across 25 countries, including Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, and Australia, where it commissioned its first solar plant earlier this year. European nations have developed a cooperative relationship to foster growth in the sector.

Europe leads the global decarbonization efforts that are necessary for the energy sector

The world’s governments have become acutely aware of the need to transition away from fossil fuels, and how they might achieve that could be solved by the hybrid solar and wind projects coming out of Sweden. Europe is working hard to shrink the solar price gap with China, which has taken measures to foster immense growth across several projects in the energy sector, underscored by the recent news that the Chinese government has been conducting inspections at its vast number of coal sites, which has led to the closure of several coal plants in the Inner Mongolia region. More needs to be done, and Sweden is leading the way.