Get off to install more solar in Sweden under an energy purchase agreement with Axel Johnson
October 21 (Renewables Now) – The Swedish solar cell developer Alight will build and operate two more solar energy parks for Axel Johnson AB, which gives over 90 GWh the total annual production that the family-owned industrial group has contracted.
According to one of the deals announced on Thursday, Axel Johnson’s food and wholesale subsidiary Axfood AB (STO: AXFO) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Alight for a 40-MW solar park that will produce 40 GWh per year, enough to cover approx. 15% of the company’s electricity consumption.
The facility will have approximately 60,000 solar panels. Axfood has committed to buying all electricity produced on site for at least ten years.
According to the second agreement, Alight will build a solar park of 30 GWh plus for Axel Johnson and the subsidiaries Axel Johnson International, Dustin, Kicks, Martin & Servera, STC and the department store operator Ahlens.
The two solar energy parks are expected to be completed during the first half of 2023, with permit applications currently being reviewed.
In addition, Alight is already building an 18 MW solar park for the restaurant and catering business Martin & Servera, in Skurup, southern Sweden. Approximately 18,000 of more than 35,000 solar panels have already been installed since PPA was announced in December 2020. Construction will be completed during the second quarter of 2022. The annual production will be approximately 19 GWh.
“[…] we are now taking an important and concrete step to reduce our climate footprint by adding renewable energy to the market. With this step, we also contribute to a significant success for the Swedish market for large-scale solar energy, says Axel Johnson’s President and CEO Mia Brunell Livfors.
Sweden’s total installed solar capacity was 1.09 GW at the end of 2020, up from 0.7 GW in 2019.