Sweco aids Europe’s push to modernise and expand electricity grid
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Chirapriya Thanakonwirakit
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Chirapriya Thanakonwirakit
Published on: February 8, 2024
As European countries work towards climate neutrality, they are tasked with overhauling and expanding their grid infrastructures to integrate renewable energy sources and meet new energy demands.
Outdated grid systems require modernisation to transition from reliance on fossil fuels to the adoption of wind and solar power, storage and power-to-x . The continent is also working to improve cross-border electricity connections to create more stable networks and boost security.
Work is currently underway to accelerate the build-out of transmission and distribution networks, reinforce existing grids and increase their reliability and flexibility . Transmission system operators (TSOs) in several European countries have signed Sweco to substantial long-term contracts to assist with the process.
Read more about grid expansion projects in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway and how Sweco plays a role in helping countries get closer to their climate goals
Offshore wind drives Germany’s grid expansion efforts
Germany has set an energy goal to be climate neutral by 2045. To achieve this, the country is expanding its energy grid with a series of projects planned. One of them is the Rhein-Main-Link, a connection that will transport electricity from offshore wind farms in the North Sea over a 500-kilometer corridor to Hessen in the Rhein-Main region.
With a strong local industry and close to six million inhabitants, the region is a major energy consumer with high network requirements. The connection aims to satisfy the region’s growing energy needs from 2033 onward.
German TSO Amprion has contracted Sweco to provide project management during the entire planning phase. More specifically, Sweco is aiding Amprion in the collaborative management of the technical and environmental planning aspects, ensuring the project adheres to strict standards for timely delivery, quality and transparency.
“We are very pleased to contribute to this lighthouse project of the energy transition and to support the Rhein-Main-Link project team in its partnership and transparent project management. The collaborative approach chosen by Amprion promotes and demands efficient project execution, agile solution finding, and continuous target alignment. This collaboration on equal footing is welcome to spread further in the German project landscape because the project culture and the project result are decisively influenced for the better in these demanding large-scale and long-term projects,” says Christiane Doyle, Head of Project Management & Licensing at Sweco Germany
High voltage grid expansion in the Netherlands
Dutch TSO TenneT has announced plans to double its investment in expanding grid capacity over the next decade, with hundreds of infrastructure projects slated in the Netherlands in response to the surging electricity demand.
TenneT has entered into a long-term contract with several partners, including Sweco, to support the engineering for the expansion of the national high voltage grid. This collaborative effort will focus on a range of technical, spatial and specialised activities that are crucial for adapting the grid to accommodate the growing reliance on renewable energy installations like wind turbines and solar parks, together with the electrification of many processes.
Sweco is involved in a variety of projects, focusing on the design and engineering of high voltage stations, underground cable connections and overhead line engineering. Sweco’s experts handle everything from initial feasibility studies to detailed design, including field and soil investigations, environmental impact assessments and community participation processes.
Sweco has also played a pivotal role in standardisation projects, creating a standard design for new 380kV and 110/150kV stations to expedite TenneT’s deployment of these stations. In addition to direct engagements with TenneT, Sweco collaborates with contractors to provide detailed design services for a range of high voltage stations and overhead lines.
“We are one of five leading engineering companies that help TenneT with their gigantic challenge of the energy transition within the Netherlands. Through standardisation and digitalisation, we enable TenneT to speed up their projects and make optimal use of the scarce capacity of high voltage engineers,” says Jeroen Schamhardt, Project Manager High Voltage, Sweco Netherlands.
Future-proofing Sweden’s grid.
Wind power expansion, nuclear decommissioning and overall increased energy consumption in Sweden require greater transmission capacity in the electricity grid throughout the country.
State-owned TSO Svenska kraftnät has commissioned Sweco with the task of completing a comprehensive review and upgrade of the entire system. This includes ensuring the reliability of the 16,000 kilometres of overhead lines that make up the backbone of the country’s electricity supply.
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Mezairi Artworks
More specifically, Sweco is completing a preliminary study and pre-planning and detailed project planning of measures to be taken for a review of the overhead lines. Sweco’s assignment also encompasses geotechnical surveys and analysis to ensure the safety and security of overhead lines.
The assignment started in May 2023 and will continue until 2031.
“Ensuring the long-term and secure supply of electricity throughout Sweden is of utmost importance to support electrification and to create a resilient society that can meet the electricity needs both of individuals and of businesses,” says Conny Udd, Division Manager for Energy & Industry at Sweco Sweden.
Svenska kraftnät has also commissioned Sweco to design two parallel 400 kV overhead power lines along a 100-kilometer stretch in the central parts of the country. Sweco experts within areas such as power lines, geotechnics, hydrogeology, surveying and mapping are involved in the assignment, thereby contributing to a secure supply of electricity and in creating a resilient society.
This assignment started in May 2023 and will run through September 2025.
Norway’s grid investment surge
As Norway moves to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, a robust expansion in power production becomes crucial for the country’s electrification and a shift towards a more sustainable energy future. To this end, Norwegian TSO Statnett has announced a significant increase in investments in the nation’s transmission grid.
Back in November 2023 , Sweco announced a framework agreement with Statnett encompassing project planning, engineering and project and construction management.
An upgraded transmission grid has the capacity to integrate significant quantities of renewable energy, like wind and solar power. Additionally, it will aid in the development of a more low-emission transport sector and provide essential infrastructure for green industries looking to establish themselves in Norway.
These initiatives are pivotal in helping Norway to achieve its ambitious climate objectives, ensuring a more seamless transition to renewable energy sources and supporting the comprehensive electrification of different sectors.
Sweco has been a major contributor to the development of Norway’s electric power system for more than a century. Particularly over the last decade, when Sweco has built an extensive experience with Statnett projects.
The agreements, set for a four-year term with an option for extension, represent a significant partnership, with Sweco’s involvement estimated to exceed 500 MSEK.
“As Statnett plans to double the transmission grid investments in the coming years, we are very pleased to be able to continue our solid collaboration with them. We have systematically worked over time to build competence and capacity in this area, and are proud that we as a company are able to win such large contracts without subcontractors or partners. We are very well positioned to continue as a key supplier for Statnett, and look forward to contribute to develop a robust transmission grid for a sustainable future,” said Elisabeth Baird, Division Director for Energy at Sweco Norway.
