Together with the Sunna Group, Skogssällskapet is contributing to the expansion of renewable energy by leasing land for the establishment of a large-scale solar park of about 18 megawatts. The area consists mostly of forest land where a research experiment on poplar cultivation has been discontinued, making the land suitable for PV energy production instead. As the cultivation of poplar and other fast-growing deciduous trees is often used for biomass and biofuel production, the project was named “Energiskogen”, meaning the energy forest.

“The area is, according to us at Sunna, perfect for developing a solar park, as we are dedicated to ensuring that sustainable electricity production from solar should not compete with sensitive nature or highly productive agricultural land. Project Energiskogen is a good example of this where the land has low natural values and can be utilized in a more efficient way by contributing more renewable electricity in the region”, says Marcus Qviberg, CEO of Sunna Group.

Sunna aims to maximize the benefits of solar parks while minimizing the impact on nature and wildlife in the surrounding area. Therefore, a natural value inventory will be carried out on the land in question to investigate how biodiversity can be planned in the best possible way when establishing the solar park. This may include avoiding sensitive areas and creating new habitats for species within the project site. The park will also not be fenced in to ensure free movement through the area for animals and outdoor life.

The land leased by Skogssällskapet to Sunna consists of 23 hectares of mixed terrain with mostly forest land and former poplar cultivation, located outside Lilla Edet in Västra Götaland County. The annual production from the planned solar park is estimated to be around 20 million kilowatt hours, equivalent to household electricity for 4,000 standard houses.

“The forests owned by Skogssällskapet Foundation should contribute to positive development in society in various ways. In Lilla Edet, the land where we previously had an experiment with poplar will be more useful as a solar park for some time to come. Renewable energy production is an important issue and something that can complement forestry on certain properties,” says Harald Nylinder, Business Area Manager for Skogssällskapet’s own forests.

The next step for the project is to further evaluate the land conditions for a large-scale solar park and initiate technical design, permit process and ensure connection to the grid in dialog with the network owner.

Facts

Size: 23 hectares
Power: 18 MW
Production: around 20 000 000 kWh per year, equivalent to household electricity for 4,000 standard houses.
Location: Lilla Edets municipality in Västra Götaland County

Contact:

Marcus Qviberg, CEO Sunna Group
Telephone: +46 73 317 38 76
E-mail: marcus@sunnagroup.com 

About Sunna Group:

Sunna was founded in June 2021 with the ambition to increase the amount of solar power in the energy system by developing, owning and managing large-scale solar power in the Nordic region. Together with long-term capital partners, Sunna is a sustainable player in the Swedish energy market. Sunna increases access to green, locally produced solar power, enabling faster regional establishment and expansion of companies, as well as supporting the electrification of society at large. Sunna’s goal is to build 500 MW by 2025 – equivalent to about half of Sweden’s largest hydroelectric power plants – and 1 GW will be in production by 2030.
sunnagroup.com 

About Skogssällskapet:

Skogssällskapet is a non-profit foundation that works for the sustainable development of forests and land. The aim is to enrich the forests with different values, and to use the forest sustainably – from an economic, ecological and social perspective. As an independent foundation, with no ownership interests in sawmills or industry, Skogssällskapet is based on each forest owner’s individual goals in the management of their forests. The foundation also carries out opinion-forming activities to broaden and deepen the public debate on forests and forestry and put sustainable development issues on the agenda. The return from the management of its own and its customers’ forests is reinvested in knowledge development and research.
skogssallskapet.se