The Skåne municipality of Skurup wins the 2022 „Solcellstoppen“ award for the Swedish Solar Energy Association (Svensk Solenergi) the country's highest installed solar power per capita by far, 1,190 watts. Last year's winner Strängnäs slips down to fifth place with 544 watts per capita. The national average is now 152 watts per person (105 watts last year).
„We haven't seen such big changes at the top before. It is clear that solar energy has become a power source to be reckoned with. Skurup's investment in ground installations quickly paid off," says Anna Werner, CEO of Svensk Solenergi.
1,6 GW installed PV capacity – increase of 46 percent
As a result of high electricity prices and a changed security policy situation, interest in self-produced renewable electricity, such as solar power, is booming in Sweden. The number of grid-connected installations in Sweden increased from 66,000 to more than 92,000 in 2021. Installed capacity is now 1.6 GW, an increase of a full 46 percent.
But there are big differences between different types of installations. Installed power in large rooftop installations and small solar parks, i.e. installations with installed power between 20 and 1,000 kW, rose by 37%, while installed power in really large installations, with installed power over 1,000 kW, rose by a whopping 141%. Installed capacity in plants below 20 kW increased by 45%.
Solar parks lower generation costs
„The increase in the number of small installations shows that Swedes are committed and willing to be active in the energy transition themselves. Rooftop installations provide industrial premises and other buildings with cheap, renewable electricity. With the very largest installations on land, economies of scale are exploited, making electricity cheaper to produce," says Anna Werner.
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While Skurup wins the „Solcellstoppen“ 2022 both overall and in the largest class, Borgholm wins the smallest class and Sjöbo the middle class. In the municipalities at the bottom of the „Solcellstoppen“, there are no installations in the largest class yet. The key to climbing up the list seems to be to build really big installations.
The statistics on grid-connected solar PV installations come from the Swedish Energy Agency and refer to data for the end of 2021. Svensk Solenergi has ranked the municipalities in the Solcellstoppen since 2017. (hcn)
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