Finnish renewable energy investor Korkia has obtained an environmental permit for its planned Smedjebacken hybrid energy project in Dalarna, central Sweden.
The permit was given to the firm’s Swedish subsidiary Korkia Renewables Development Sweden.
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Smedjebacken hybrid project is expected to consist of both a 150MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 150MW/600MWh.
The approval was granted by the Environmental Assessment Delegation (Miljöprövningsdelegationen) at the County Administrative Board of Dalarna.
It follows an environmental impact assessment and public consultation, as required under the Swedish Environmental Code (Miljöbalken).
Approval confirms the project has met all current environmental regulations, providing Korkia Renewables Development Sweden with the legal backing needed to move towards the construction phase.
Korkia Sweden country manager Matti Manner said: “Receiving this environmental permit for our flagship project is a significant milestone for our Swedish operations. A legally binding environmental permit, together with a secured grid connection, provides a clear pathway towards Ready-to-Build status.”
According to Korkia, large-scale solar projects of this size remain comparatively uncommon in Sweden, and few sites of similar scale have received permits across Scandinavia.
Once operational, the Smedjebacken hybrid project is expected to generate about 150GWh of electricity per year, supporting the domestic power supply and adding flexibility to the Swedish electricity system.
The output is projected to be sufficient for tens of thousands of Swedish households.
Korkia Renewables Development Sweden CEO Hazim Sekic said: “We are pleased to advance this project, which reflects both the strength of our Swedish pipeline and our long-term commitment to the market.
“As Sweden’s energy system continues to transform, projects like this are key to enabling increased electrification and strengthening system resilience.
“Securing this permit is an important milestone, and we look forward to working closely with local partners to deliver sustainable and impactful solutions.”
The Smedjebacken development, located in the Vilmoren forest area, is identified by Korkia as a flagship project.
The company indicates the project is intended to contribute to Sweden’s transition towards a fossil-free energy system.
Korkia’s overall renewable energy development pipeline currently features 15GW of mature assets and 9GW in early-stage development across North America, Europe and South America.
