Construction of the Önusberget Wind Farm in Piteå in Northern Sweden is well under way and, when it is completed, 137 new wind turbines will provide renewable electric power to the Swedish national grid.
The project is being developed by Luxcara, an independent asset manager in the international renewable energy market. When Luxcara acquired the Önusberget project in 2019 on behalf of institutional investors, they were pleased to see that Peikko was already involved.
The largest single-site onshore project in Europe
The Önusberget project is part of the Markbygden wind farm, which will include a total of up to 1101 wind turbines. With an expected capacity of 753 MW, this makes Önusberget the largest single-site onshore wind project in Europe.
“A large project like Önusberget is really important to us,” says Marea Anna Frazel, Project Manager at Luxcara. “Making it a success matters to everyone involved, both because the investment is so big and because there are so many stakeholders involved, including investors, construction contractors, developers, local stakeholders and consumers.”
“It’s essential to work with partners you can trust and rely on in a wind farm project,” says Janis Hoberg, Investment Manager. “All the different subcontractors have to communicate clearly and work well together. We had previously worked with Peikko on a wind farm project in Norway, and that went well – we were really happy with them there. So, we were glad to see that the civil works contractors had selected Peikko for Önusberget, too.”
Built on Peikko foundations
Peikko was responsible for the design and the delivery of 49 gravity foundations and 18 rock foundations for the Önusberget Wind Farm. This included the foundation design and structural calculations, as well as manufacturing and delivering the steel reinforcement packages, which include rebar coupling systems and punching and shear reinforcement.
“Peikko performed very well during design and construction phase,” says Hoberg. “The Peikko team was responsive and helpful, and we are grateful for their cooperation. The foundations they delivered were well designed, specified and documented, which made it easy for the different subcontractors to work together.”
Minimising risks for long-term success
“With renewable energy, Luxcara aims to structure, finance and operate the investments for their entire lifespan with a buy-and-hold strategy,” says Frazel. “This investment policy reflects the importance we place on sustainability and ensures that risks are mitigated over time.”
“With wind farms, you are dependent on weather and geography that you can’t control, so you have to adapt and work with the environment,” Frazel says. “For example, the location can create challenges with the design of the foundations, and this can lead to the risk of problems further down the line – if they are late, the whole project can be delayed. However, choosing a reliable partner like Peikko, who we have trusted to deliver both the expertise and the solutions that are needed, will minimize these design risks.”
“Peikko gave us really good service and they delivered on time,” says Hoberg. “And, although they usually work together with contractors, we have a direct line to Peikko whenever we need it. This has been a big help to us. They pick up the phone and take the time to provide the support we need, for example, for deliveries with especially tight schedules.”
“Choosing a reliable partner like Peikko, who can deliver both the expertise and the solutions needed, will keep your risks to a minimum.”
The importance of long-term partnerships
“Luxcara has been in the renewables sector for more than a decade and we will continue to be for a long time,” says Hoberg. “That’s why we really value continued partnerships with companies we know and who we can trust. We aim to establish partnerships that go beyond individual projects. We do not only live sustainability in our business model, but also as a way to do business. Building trust over time and working with a company like Peikko really pays off. It enables us to support each other and to help each other out over the longer term and in other projects. Long-term relationships are really important to us.”
Project facts
Number of turbines: 137
Investor: Luxcara
Start year: 2019 (acquired by Luxcara)
Planned completion year: 2023