Building the first solar power plant in Southern Norway

From the left: Sebastian Farmen (Greenstat), Birgitte Gulla Løken (Ordfører Larvik), Kristil Håland Helgerud (Skagerak Kraft), Geir Kulås (Skagerak Kraft)
Photo: Kjell Løyland, Skagerak Energi 

Through the company Engene Solar AS, Greenstat and our partner Skagerak Kraft are investing NOK 44 million in a solar power plant in Lågendalen. The power plant is the third in Norway, and the first in the NO2 power price area. It is also the first to be installed on "grey areas", such as commercial areas that are no longer in use. When completed, the power plant will produce electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 325 households.

First time
This is the first time the two energy companies have built a ground-mounted solar power plant in Norway.

"Greenstat and its parent company, FDE, build, own and operate several large solar power plants in France, Belgium and Bosnia and is accelerating its development in Norway. We are very proud of building our first multi-MW ground mounted plant in Norway and plan to develop many more sites given our existing pipeline of large photovoltaic projects in the country" says General Manager of Engene Solar AS Sebastian Farmen from Greenstat. 

The plant is not only Vestfold's first, but also one of the first solar cell plants to be built in Norway that requires a licence. The NVE licence was granted in November 2023.

Moderate size
With an installed capacity of 5.8 MWp and an estimated annual production of 6.1 GWh, it is a moderate size compared to the solar power plants that the companies will be built in the years to come. The Norwegian Parliament has adopted a goal of building 8 TWh by 2030, and the south-eastern part of Norway stands out as an area with good solar resources in this country. 

"This is the first time we've been involved in building a ground-mounted solar power plant, but it won't be the last. We are working on several projects and believe it will be possible to realise more of them. Our goal is to contribute to increased power production, and we have ambitions within hydro, wind and solar power in our areas," says Geir Kulås of Skagerak Kraft.
 

From the left: Kristil Håland Helgerud (Skagerak Kraft), Ole Johan Lindaas (Skagerak Kraft), Sebastian Farmen (Greenstat), Geir Kulås (Skagerak Kraft), Birgitte Gulla Løken (Ordfører Larvik), Torstein Thorsen Ekern (Greenstat), Viel Jaren Heitmann (Greenstat), Charly Berthod (Greenstat), Siri Østerhus (Greenstat) and Sveinung Isaksen (Greenstat)
Photo: Kjell Løyland, Skagerak Energi

Uncontroversial in Hvarnes
Both Farmen and Kulås say that land use is a topic that often comes up in places where they are looking at opportunities for solar power, but in Hvarnes this has not been an issue. The site is a so-called grey area, meaning that it is set aside for industrial and commercial activities. It has lain fallow for several years, but originally there was a sawmill here.

"We've had a good dialogue with the neighbours here in Hvarnes. Our impression is that they welcome the solar power plant. Vestfold is a county with little power production of its own, so Engene solar power plant is also an important local contribution to a region that needs more renewable power," says Farmen.

The construction time for the Engene solar power plant is estimated at c. eight months. The intention is for the solar power plant to start supplying electricity to the grid by December 2024. The power plant is owned by Engene Solar AS, which in turn is equally owned by Greenstat and Skagerak Kraft with 50 per cent each.

The Mayor of Larvik Birgitte Gulla Løken with the first ground screw where the solar panels will be mounted. 
Photo: Kjell Løyland, Skagerak Energi