Skarta Energy’s Tornio solar park project progresses

Skarta Energy and Business Tornio signed a letter of intent in May 2023 to prepare a feasibility plan for an industrial solar park in Tornio. Preliminary environmental studies and nature surveys were carried out in the project area during summer 2024. The land lease negotiations with the City of Tornio and private landowners were concluded at the end of 2024. A building permit is now awaited for the project.

The Board of Directors of the City of Tornio has approved the land lease agreement related to the Laivakangas solar park in Tornio. Agreements have also been reached with private landowners. The applications for planning needs solutions and building permits for the project were submitted at the end of 2024 and will be processed during 2025. The necessary environmental and nature surveys will also be carried out this year.

"The Tornio solar park project has high potential. This is a good place to continue towards more detailed planning and a possible investment decision. The site of the industrial-scale solar power plant is planned to be partly a soil extraction area that has already been decommissioned, so the area should suit well for construction. The area is also groundwater, which is why we will carry out the necessary studies to ensure that the construction can be carried out taking environmental factors into account," says Aaro Hocksell, Project Manager at Skarta Energy.

If the project proceeds according to the plan, construction can begin in 2026. If realised, the energy production of an area of approximately 80 hectares and a solar power plant with a panel capacity of 60 MWp could start during 2027. The City of Tornio and Business Tornio have been waiting for the project.

"The green transition and the production of green hydrogen require large amounts of renewable energy and we have the opportunity to offer a suitable area for this. The planned investment would bring significant employment effects to various sectors in Tornio, especially during the construction period, and would also attract new operators to the area. We want to do our part to promote investments in the green transition, to create even more vitality Tornio and accelerating the growth of local companies," sums up Tero Siivola, CEO of Business Tornio Oy.

"We want to take our place as a city that promotes the use of renewable energy sources and as an investment target for future industry and circular economy," Mayor Jukka Kujala adds.