Better Energy will develop, build and operate the solar plant located in Holstebro Municipality, while Heartland will become the owner of the plant.
Approximately half of the new green energy produced by the solar plant has already been sold to the Heartland subsidiary BESTSELLER. This energy is equivalent to 100 percent of BESTSELLER’s global electricity consumption for owned and operated buildings.
Apart from BESTSELLER, NORMAL and nemlig.com will also purchase new green power.
“It is not only the size of the new solar plant that is groundbreaking, but it is also the fact that the solar plant will supply BESTSELLER, NORMAL and nemlig.com with new subsidy-free green electricity. This is the next phase in the green transition, when companies’ choice of new green electricity is the direct reason for the deployment of new renewable energy.”
Rasmus Lildholdt Kjær, CEO Better Energy.
“t is crucial for us that our energy is not only green but also new and subsidy-free. We want to be the direct reason for the deployment of new green energy that corresponds to the consumption of our own companies BESTSELLER, NORMAL and nemlig.com. At the same time, we want to do it sustainably.”
Lise Kaa, Heartland.
The solar plant will be built on conventionally cultivated agricultural land, which will be converted into organic farming. Nature has not had the optimum conditions here for many years, but a solar plant can help to make a better change.
“During construction, permanent grass and herb vegetation cover in the form of organic clover grass will be established, sections of the undeveloped areas will be sown with flower seeds and pesticides will no longer be used on the land area. Thus, in the future, pesticides and herbicides will no longer be washed into the area’s vulnerable streams and groundwater during periods of heavy rain, and better living conditions for bees and other pollinating insects will be created. This is a good example of how renewable energy development, nature and biodiversity can go hand in hand.
“Part of the designated area is one of only two possible habitats in Denmark for the northern birch mouse, an endangered species. The birch mouse and other animal species will be protected during the construction phase. After the solar plant has been established, the area will serve as a long-term haven, providing wildlife with an expansive habitat with minimal human disturbance.”
Rasmus Lildholdt Kjær, CEO Better Energy.
The construction of the solar plant will begin in August 2020. The solar project will be completed and new green power will be produced for the electricity grid in the summer of 2021.
When completed, the solar plant will have a capacity of more than 200 MW, with total electricity generation corresponding to the energy consumption of approximately 127,000 Danes.
Due to the size of the system , the solar plant will be the first directly connected to the electricity transmission network in Denmark to transport electricity production to the consumer areas of Denmark.
The connection will be made at the Danish public utility (Energinet) transformer station in Idomlund in the spring of 2021.
“This is the first time that a solar PV system has been connected directly to the Danish electricity transmission line and directly to electricity highways. A new, major step is being taken in Denmark’s green transition. On a basic level, it is a power plant that runs on solar. Technically and electrically, a solar PV plant performs much differently than a traditional power plant. At Energinet, we need to be at the forefront of connecting this new type of production plant so that we can continue to maintain Denmark’s high security of supply and support the green transition.”
Poul Oslo Rasmussen, operations engineer in Energinet’s department for Electrical System Operations.