Denmark's and Northern Europe's largest solar power plant to date connects to the European electricity grid in the coming days.
At its peak, the new plant near Holstebro in Denmark can produce 207 megawatts, corresponding to the electricity consumption of 130,000 Danish residents.
FIRST SOLAR PARK WITHOUT SUPPORT
HEARTLAND – the parent company of BESTSELLER – has established the solar park, which is one of the first in Denmark to be built without public funding or subsidies. Lise Kaae, CEO of HEARTLAND, is pleased that the plant is now ready to be inaugurated and put into use:
“This is a significant milestone that contributes tangibly to the green transition. We have unique opportunities to invest long-term and in solutions that make a difference. We are proud that our solar power plant can now open and connect to the electricity grid, so that even more households and companies can purchase green renewable energy.”
BESTSELLER WILL COVER ITS ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
BESTSELLER is one of the companies that will purchase green energy from the solar park as part of BESTSELLER’s plan to cover its entire electricity consumption with renewable energy. This brings the company one step closer to its ultimate ambition of becoming climate positive.
“At BESTSELLER, we want to use and – at the same time – support the development of green energy, which plays a crucial role in the green transition we want to contribute to. Therefore, we are pleased that this solar power plant makes it possible for us to cover our electricity consumption and simultaneously contribute to our Fashion FWD climate targets, ”says Dorte Rye Olsen, who heads BESTSELLER Sustainability.
“At the same time, we are aware that the majority of BESTSELLER's extended climate footprint happens in our value chain, from production to the product’s end-of-life. This means that we still have lots of work ahead in order to achieve our overall climate goals. Here we take responsibility for our own business, which is an important step to inspire further action.”
The establishment of Northern Europe's largest solar power plant has been underway for the past 18 months, with Danish energy company Better Energy as the project’s contractor.
"With the completion of the solar park, we embark on a new chapter in Denmark's green transition. In addition to being Northern Europe's largest solar park, it has also been built without public subsidies. It makes a big difference to the green transition when companies such as BESTSELLER actively choose to cover their electricity consumption with new renewable energy. That active choice is the direct reason for the creation of new renewable energy that will also ensure a greener electricity grid and bring us closer to our climate targets,” says Rasmus Lildholdt Kjær, Better Energy’s CEO.
FACTS: The solar park
The size of the plant is 222 hectares, which corresponds to more than 300 football fields.
In total, the plant can produce 207 megawatts – equalling the electricity consumption of 130,000 Danish consumers in one year.
The plant is owned by HEARTLAND and built in cooperation with Better Energy.
Not only is the new source of energy itself better for the environment, the park will also have a positive effect on biodiversity in the area. 1,400 sheep will graze the area, which has been converted to organic farming with new permanent grass and herb vegetation. This provides better living conditions for bees, butterflies and the northern birch mouse – one of Denmark’s most rare and endangered animals.
FACTS: Power Purchase Agreement - PPA
The energy from HEARTLAND's solar park will be sold to BESTSELLER and other companies through a so-called Power Purchase Agreement.
Through PPAs, BESTSELLER and other companies guarantee to buy solar energy at a fixed price from Better Energy, which manages the park.
Today, it is not possible to trace energy directly from a solar power plant to a consumer’s or company’s electrical socket. All energy – renewable as well as fossil fuel-based – is mixed together in the electricity grid, which means that no one can constantly get 100 percent green electricity from their socket.
A PPA ensures, however, that new renewable energy is created, as the power plant is built based on the agreement, driving the development of new solar power.
With a PPA, companies buy green energy throughout a period of years, while the energy producers – through the stability of the agreements – can invest further in the construction of sustainable energy projects and supply more renewable energy to the electricity grid.
The electricity from the plant in Holstebro cannot be included in the energy mix outside Europe, which is why BESTSELLER's electricity consumption outside Europe will be covered by contracts with other local renewable energy plants.