The hybrid park in Kronoberg is estimated to produce an annual electricity output of around 126 GWh, equivalent to the yearly consumption of more than 25,000 households. Peter Braun, Country Manager for European Energy in Sweden, explained: “The advantage of combining solar and wind is that they generate power at different times. The sun shines most during the day and in summer, while the wind tends to blow more at night and in winter. This gives us a more balanced generation profile and makes smarter use of the power grid.”
Netherlands – 1 GW energy corridor links solar, storage and wind
Single connection point reduces costs
The hybrid park is connected to the Swedish grid at a single connection point, reducing both construction and operational costs. Thorvald Spanggaard, Executive Vice President and Head of Project Development at European Energy, stated: “This is a milestone for renewable electricity in Sweden, but also for European Energy, as it is the first hybrid park we have developed, built and now operate ourselves.”
The project was developed with significant attention to the natural environment in this forested area. The rocky terrain was managed by utilising existing soil on site, minimising the need for transportation. Additionally, European Energy has implemented several measures to enhance biodiversity in the area, which previously consisted largely of production forest with limited ecological value.
Hybrid energy parks face headwinds in Europe
The construction of the hybrid park spanned four years. European Energy implemented various biodiversity initiatives, such as preserving water ponds, creating natural habitats along the park’s edges and sowing plants to support pollinators.
Next solar-wind park already underway
At the inauguration, Maria Arnholm, Governor of Kronoberg County, officially opened the park by connecting two cables: one from the wind park and one from the solar park. Skåramåla is the first of three planned solar-wind hybrid parks in Sweden being developed by European Energy. The next project, Grevekulla in Ydre municipality, is already under construction. (hcn)
