Momentum inaugurates the solar park, Villerup Sol, in Vendsyssel

On 28 April, Momentum officially inaugurated the solar park, Villerup Sol, located in Vendsyssel near Hjørring. Together with our development partner and landowner Villerup Hovedgård, as well as our electricity sales partner Reel, we welcomed partners, customers, local residents, and representatives from the municipality to visit the site and learn more about how we will manage the area and operate the solar park over the next 30 years. The weather could hardly have been better. Under bright sunshine and steady winds, both the wind turbines at Villerup Hovedgård and the solar panels at Villerup Sol were producing renewable electricity at full capacity.

A solar park developed without objections

Villerup Sol is a relatively small-scale solar park covering 10 hectares with a capacity of 12 MWp. The park is set back from roads and neighbouring properties and is naturally screened by Villerup Hovedgård’s willow production. As a result, the project was completed without any objections during the planning process.

Momentum became involved in the project five years ago, and Villerup Sol is a strong example of how new renewable energy projects in Denmark can be developed successfully when done in close collaboration with local communities and with respect for nature and the surrounding landscape.

Power purchase agreements with local businesses

An important part of the financing behind Villerup Sol is the collaboration with a number of companies that have entered into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with our partner Reel to purchase electricity directly from the park. These agreements provide long-term financial stability for both the companies and Momentum, while also contributing more renewable electricity to the Danish energy system.

Onshore renewable energy projects in Denmark are developed on market terms without public subsidies. This means that long-term and predictable revenues are essential to securing the investments needed for both development and operation. Even though Villerup Sol is a relatively modest project in size, the development and construction costs remain significant and rely on stable electricity revenues over time. This is where the local electricity off-takers play an important role, as long-term fixed-price agreements have been established with the participating companies.

In total, 18 companies have signed agreements with Reel to purchase electricity from Villerup Sol:

– Aasted ApS

– Aurion A/S

– Brdr. Sommer, smede- og maskinværkstedet A/S

– Camro A/S

– Combine A/S

– Erik Lytzen A/S

– Expo-Net Danmark A/S

– Friskolen Skallerup

– Linka Energy A/S

– Mim-Plast ApS

– Nic. Christiansen Gruppen A/S

– Plantefabrikken ApS

– Sejlstrup Entreprenørforretning A/S & VM Mørtel A/S

– Skallerup Seaside Resort A/S

– Spar Skallerup A/S

– Thisted-Fjerritslev Cementvarefabrik A/S

– Vrå Dampvaskeri A/S

– Vrå Højskole

Testing new wildflower seed mixes

At Villerup Sol, we have begun testing new wildflower seed mixes as part of our work with nature and biodiversity. As a new initiative, we are also transplanting turf from intact natural habitats into a restored agricultural area previously used for willow production. From a nature and biodiversity perspective, it is quite unique to begin with a clean slate, without competition from cultivated grasses. So instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, our guests got soil under their fingernails as they helped plant the new flora.

Already last autumn, we sowed seeds from species typically found on the Danish forest floor, including wood violets, anemones, and star-of-Bethlehem. Although the area still appears sparse, the first small shoots are already beginning to emerge. Over the coming years, we will closely follow the development of the vegetation to better understand which plant species thrive in a solar park environment – and which insects follow. This knowledge will allow us to continuously adapt the management of the site to the natural development of the vegetation and, hopefully, reduce the need for mowing during the summer months.

A renewable energy project involves many contributors

Developing renewable energy projects involves a wide range of activities – from the first ideas and design sketches to the completed facility delivering green electricity to customers. During the construction of Villerup Sol, Momentum and our Owners Engineer Danish Sun Energy ApS collaborated with companies in Denmark and abroad to source services, components, and equipment – all contributing to the green transition.

A special thank you to our valued partners Vibe Gro Falk and Johannes Falk from Villerup Hovedgård, as well as Reel Energy and Danish Sun Energy ApS.