Sweden’s largest solar PPA will sit next to an airport runway

A 90 megawatt (MW) solar farm will be built around the runway of an airport in Sweden, and it will be the largest solar power purchase agreement (PPA) contracted in Sweden to date.

Solar 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 developer and independent power producer Alight.

The solar farm, 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 farm’s construction is planned for the second half of 2023, and it’s expected to come online in 2025.

Ulrika Leverenz, Head of Green Investment of H&M Group, said:

Renewable energy plays a crucial role in our climate roadmap to reduce emissions and achieve net zero by 2040. Business and countries must show leadership to limit global warming to 1.5C according to what the climate science urges us to do.

H&M Group has set a goal to reduce the company’s absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions and its scope 3 emissions by 56%, both by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. It’s also set a goal to increase the annual sourcing of renewable electricity to 100% by 2030.

Electrek’s Take

Sure, it’s somewhat interesting that this is the largest PPA agreement in Sweden to date. But that’s not what grabbed my interest. What did was the siting of this solar farm next to an airport runway.

The only drawback I can see to building solar farms next to airport runways is that the solar panels may need to be cleaned more frequently due to airport particulate matter. But, like building solar panels on top of warehouses or landfills, this just makes so much sense. Land next to airport runways is essentially dead space, so let’s use it for something good.

Do you think putting solar farms next to airport runways is a good idea? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more: This Texas solar farm’s panels will sit flat on the ground

Photo: Alight

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