Solar power

We are one of Finland’s leading developers, builders, and owners of solar power. We also have Sweden’s largest portfolio of large-scale solar power projects.

Renewable energy on nature’s terms

We see solar power as a cornerstone of the future energy system. To elevate solar energy to a significant role, generation facilities must be built at an industrial scale. Utility-scale solar parks can be developed and constructed rapidly – with efficient execution, we can meet the growing demand for competitively priced renewable electricity.

Our solar power projects typically cover areas of more than 50 hectares. As the scale of these solar plants increases, we reduce both costs and land use per kilowatt-hour produced.

Through utility-scale solar power generation, we create sustainable energy for all of Europe.

We are actively involved in every phase of our solar projects. This includes site selection, permitting and financing, as well as construction, grid connections, and commercial and technical operations. We retain ownership of our projects through to decommissioning, ensuring responsible management throughout their entire lifecycle.

Strong growth

We have rapidly developed one of the largest portfolios of utility-scale solar power projects in the Nordics. In Finland and Sweden, we have approximately 4 GW of projects that are either fully permitted or currently in the permitting process.

Long-term commitment

With our 50-year land leases, landowners can secure their assets provide financial security for multiple generations.

Low-value land

We focus on placing our solar energy projects on land areas with low ecological value, such as impediments and areas where production forests have been cleared.

Local presence

Our project managers are present and available for open and straightforward dialogue from start to finish, for both landowners, local communities, municipalities and partners.

Swift deployment

Establishing a solar park is swift and straightforward compared to other energy sources. We can complete a project within 18 months from obtaining the necessary permits.

Key figures

A 500 hectare solar farm

500 GWh energy production per year
65.5 kilotonnes of CO2 emissions reduced
90% recycling rate
50 year lifecycle

Benefits of large-scale solar energy

We see large-scale solar power plants as an effective solution to the rapidly growing energy demand in the Nordics and across Europe. At the same time, we aim to maximise the use of land areas that have low or limited value for other purposes.

Industrial-scale solar power generation has significant potential. Solar energy still accounts for just over one per cent of electricity production in Finland and approximately 2.5 per cent in Sweden. Solar power, for example, contributes very little to deforestation. Preferred locations for solar projects include former peat extraction sites, low-yield agricultural land (particularly in Finland), and forest areas that have been heavily modified by forestry activities and have low biodiversity value. Finland and Sweden together have more than 50 million hectares of managed forest land. Developing solar power on just one per cent of these areas could generate a substantial share of Europe’s energy needs, while the vast majority of land would remain in forestry use.

In addition, solar energy is produced primarily during the summer, when wind power generation is at its lowest, and during daytime hours, when electricity demand is higher than at night. In this way, the expansion of solar power helps balance production peaks in the Nordic power system and supports overall grid stability.

Efficient land use

Solar farms offer increased financial returns for landowners compared to traditional uses such as conventional forestry – for example, roughly ten times higher than through traditional forestry.

Limited visual impact

Energy production from a solar farm is not only emission-free and effective, it is also silent and has low visibility in the landscape.

Easy to restore

Solar farms have a low impact on the landscape, ensuring that land restoration post-decommissioning is easy and time-efficient.

Increased biodiversity

By incorporating conservation measures, solar farms can support pollinators like bees and butterflies. They can also coexist with agriculture, such as grazing sheep. These efforts foster meadowlands, benefiting various fauna and birds. In solar parks, meadow-like vegetation develops naturally or through seeding, supporting greater biodiversity compared to cultivated farmland and commercial forestry.

Did you know? Contrary to common belief, solar energy production in the Nordics is very viable. Prolonged daylight during summer season effectively compensates for the dark winters, and the cooler climate helps us avoid efficiency losses often seen in hotter regions.

Establishing solar farms

Legislation and regulations for establishing large-scale solar energy facilities differ between both countries and counties. As a long term actor in the energy production market, we do not lightly approach the challenges surrounding the development. Therefore, we go above and beyond to achieve a democratically anchored permit management process.

Pre-studies – 2-3 months

Permitting procedures – 1-2 year

In the permit management process, we consider regional objectives and environmental requirements, and arrange open consultation meetings with authorities, local residents, and other stakeholders. Ahead of the consultations, we prepare a document covering all known aspects of the solar farm, including environmental impact, transportation plans, and possible grid connections.

The consultations are a crucial part of the process for realising our large-scale solar power projects and provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to ask questions, provide feedback, and suggest adjustments that can be considered in the decision-making process. We are ready to explore alternative solutions and paths that can balance the need for renewable energy with the protection of local environmental values and community preferences.

In Finland, the permitting process for a solar park can take as little as around six months if no zoning plan is required. If zoning is needed, the permitting process takes approximately two years.

In Sweden, industrial-scale solar parks require an environmental permit and comprehensive environmental and nature assessments, a phase that typically takes around two years.

If a solar park requires its own power line, the planning and permitting process takes approximately 2–3 years in both Finland and Sweden.