Sweden’s largest solar energy PPA will sit next to an airport runway
A 90 megawatt (MW) solar farm will be built around the runway at an airport in Sweden, and it will be the largest solar power purchase agreement (PPA) contracted in Sweden to date.
Sunbathing on a Swedish airport runway
Ninety megawatts is enough to power over 16,000 households in Sweden annually, but this PPA is between Swedish fashion retail giant H&M Group, renewable energy producer Neoen and solar energy developer and independent power producer Alight.
The solar park, which will be jointly owned by Neoen and Alight, will be installed around Hultsfred Airport’s runway in southeastern Sweden. The long-term agreement will provide H&M Group with local clean energy and guarantees of origin.
The solar park’s construction is scheduled for the second half of 2023, and it is expected to come online in 2025.
Ulrika Leverenz, Head of Green Investment at H&M Group, said:
Renewable energy plays a critical role in our climate roadmap to reduce emissions and achieve net zero by 2040. Companies and countries must show leadership to limit global warming to 1.5C as climate science tells us to do.
H&M Group has set a target to reduce the company’s absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions and its scope 3 emissions by 56%, both by 2030 from the 2019 baseline. It has also set a target of increasing annual purchases of renewable electricity to 100% by 2030.
Electrek’s Take
Sure, it’s a bit interesting that this is the biggest PPA agreement in Sweden to date. But that’s not what piqued my interest. What did was the location of this solar farm next to an airport runway.
The only downside I can see to building solar farms next to airport runways is that the solar panels may need to be cleaned more often due to airport particulates. But like building solar panels on top of warehouses or landfills, this only makes so much sense. Land next to airport runways is basically dead space, so let’s put it to good use.
Do you think it’s a good idea to put solar parks next to airport runways? Let us know in the comments below.
Read more: This Texas solar farm’s panels will sit flat on the ground
Photo: Alight
UnderstandSolar is a free service that connects you with top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop around for the best deals. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
FTC: We use earning auto affiliate links. More.