Alight, a Swedish solar developer, has entered into a strategic partnership with Sveaskog, the largest landowner in Sweden, to develop 2 GW of solar energy capacity over the next five years. This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing Sweden's renewable energy infrastructure, leveraging Sveaskog's vast land resources to expand solar power production across the country.

Under the agreement, Alight will take the lead in developing, constructing, and co-owning the solar parks, while Sveaskog will co-invest between 30% and 49% in these projects. Sveaskog, a state-owned enterprise, will also implement sustainable management practices throughout the development process.

The initial projects under this partnership are already underway. The first involves a solar park spanning approximately 150 hectares in central Sweden, while the second covers 70 hectares in the southern part of the country. Both projects are strategically located in areas with significant electricity deficits, addressing local energy needs.

Sveaskog, which owns 14% of Sweden's forests (around 3.4 million hectares), sees solar development as a key component of its sustainability strategy. According to estimates from Alight, converting just 0.2% of Sveaskog's land--about 10,000 hectares--into solar projects could generate approximately 5 GW of energy. This figure would more than double Sweden's current installed solar capacity.

Alight CEO Harald Ã-verholm highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating, "Solar power is a fast and affordable solution to combat the climate crisis, especially given Sweden's increasing demand for renewable electricity. We are impressed by Sveaskog's high ambitions in sustainability and look forward to jointly building and managing solar projects that strive for the best balance of ecological, economic, and social values."

This initiative follows Alight's recent solar ventures in Finland, where the company plans to build a 90 MW solar park and has secured a grid connection for a 100 MW project. Alight is committed to achieving a goal of installing at least 5 GW of solar capacity by 2030.

Source: pv-magazine