TEXT: ZARINA ALBOROVA PHOTO: ANDERS WESTERGREN
FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW his entrepreneurial heart has been beating not only for wind energy, but for all renewable energies. The reward for all these efforts is nothing less than the realization of one of the world’s largest comprehensive wind farm projects, the project “Markbygden 1101” in northern Sweden. Read on to know his story.
Please tell us how you got interested in wind power and how did the wind “blow” you to Sweden?
I had a good education, was young and ambitious. At that time, I thought a lot about what good I can do for the world and society. Given these considerations and many conversations with friends and colleagues, I began to develop my own vision.
Over time, I became interested in the topic of renewable energies and focused on the field of wind energy. At the time, this area was still in its infancy, had very good prospects back then and still had today, also for future generations. With that I had my vision!
For this reason, I started my own business in the field of wind energy in 1993 and initially started planning wind energy projects in Germany.
However, over the years I have recognized that although the prerequisites for this existed in Germany, they were also limited due to a high population density, competing land uses, etc…
TEXT: ZARINA ALBOROVA PHOTO: ANDERS WESTERGREN
FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW his entrepreneurial heart has been beating not only for wind energy, but for all renewable energies. The reward for all these efforts is nothing less than the realization of one of the world’s largest comprehensive wind farm projects, the project “Markbygden 1101” in northern Sweden. Read on to know his story.
Please tell us how you got interested in wind power and how did the wind “blow” you to Sweden?
I had a good education, was young and ambitious. At that time, I thought a lot about what good I can do for the world and society. Given these considerations and many conversations with friends and colleagues, I began to develop my own vision.
Over time, I became interested in the topic of renewable energies and focused on the field of wind energy. At the time, this area was still in its infancy, had very good prospects back then and still had today, also for future generations. With that I had my vision!
For this reason, I started my own business in the field of wind energy in 1993 and initially started planning wind energy projects in Germany.
However, over the years I have recognized that although the prerequisites for this existed in Germany, they were also limited due to a high population density, competing land uses, etc…
TO THE LEFT: the build of a 5.3 MW GE turbine in an area of Markbygden called Stor-Blåliden. Only the steel reinforcement in the foundation weighs about 65 metric ton.TO THE RIGHT: in front Wolfgang Kropp telling the story of 1101* to investors in Phase 3 of the project.
And then the wind was blowing towards Sweden?
(laughs) Yes, you could say that! In 1996 the “Wind of Change” was blowing towards Sweden. At that time, I was working and developing wind energy projects in Germany with a colleague from another branch.
We often exchanged our ideas over the potential uses of wind energy and other developments in this field. In one of these conversations, we concluded that a potential market would arise in Sweden because the country needs new energy sources due to the nuclear phase-out.
Given these considerations we founded the company Svevind in southern Sweden in 1998, and two years later we successfully implemented our first project “Skäggs” consisting of two wind turbines on the island of Gotland.
So, you did your first steps in southern Sweden, then you went to northern Sweden. What motivated you for this step?
During our activities in Sweden, we quickly realized that southern Sweden is rather unsuitable for larger projects, because this region is comparatively suffering from urban sprawl.
Then we looked at the whole country in terms of its energy infrastructure and concluded that northern Sweden offers many decisive advantages: this region is sparsely populated and has had large hydropower plants and associated huge network capacities for many decades.
Furthermore, we met Professor Hans Bergström from Uppsala University at a conference in Finland simultaneously. We were so impressed by his field of science and his model for calculating and mapping the large-scale wind conditions, that we commissioned an analysis of the wind conditions in different regions in northern Sweden.
When we analyzed the results of the wind potential study in spring 2002, we “discovered” the Markbygden region near Piteå and realized that the wind conditions in this region are excellent! All these favourable aspects played a huge role in the decision to move our activity from southern Sweden to northern Sweden.
FIRST: the build of a 5.3 MW GE turbine in an area of Markbygden called Stor-Blåliden. Only the steel reinforcement in the foundation weighs about 65 metric ton. SECOND: in front Wolfgang Kropp telling the story of 1101* to investors in Phase 3 of the project.
And then the wind was blowing towards Sweden?
(laughs) Yes, you could say that! In 1996 the “Wind of Change” was blowing towards Sweden. At that time, I was working and developing wind energy projects in Germany with a colleague from another branch.
We often exchanged our ideas over the potential uses of wind energy and other developments in this field. In one of these conversations, we concluded that a potential market would arise in Sweden because the country needs new energy sources due to the nuclear phase-out.
Given these considerations we founded the company Svevind in southern Sweden in 1998, and two years later we successfully implemented our first project “Skäggs” consisting of two wind turbines on the island of Gotland.
So, you did your first steps in southern Sweden, then you went to northern Sweden. What motivated you for this step?
During our activities in Sweden, we quickly realized that southern Sweden is rather unsuitable for larger projects, because this region is comparatively suffering from urban sprawl.
Then we looked at the whole country in terms of its energy infrastructure and concluded that northern Sweden offers many decisive advantages: this region is sparsely populated and has had large hydropower plants and associated huge network capacities for many decades.
Furthermore, we met Professor Hans Bergström from Uppsala University at a conference in Finland simultaneously. We were so impressed by his field of science and his model for calculating and mapping the large-scale wind conditions, that we commissioned an analysis of the wind conditions in different regions in northern Sweden.
When we analyzed the results of the wind potential study in spring 2002, we “discovered” the Markbygden region near Piteå and realized that the wind conditions in this region are excellent! All these favourable aspects played a huge role in the decision to move our activity from southern Sweden to northern Sweden.
What were your next steps after making this decision?
We closed our office in Motala quickly and opened in 2002 a new one in Umeå with our new employee Mikael Kyrk.
After we had secured the essential plots of land, we worked intensively for several years, and finally submitted the application to the Swedish government in Stockholm to build a wind farm with up to 4000 MW or up to 1.101 wind turbines in the Markbygden region.
Our application was approved by the government in March 2010. The next step was to apply to the regional administration for environmental and building permits. In order not to lose any time, we started the necessary preliminary examinations simultaneously.
Before the project 1101 you implemented two pilot projects. Can you please tell us more about it?
With pleasure! Behind this was the realization that we should gain even more experience in the construction and operation of wind turbines in the arctic climate.
For this reason, the two pilot projects Dragaliden and Stor-Blåliden have been planned. The Dragaliden wind farm, which was built between 2008 and 2010, comprises of 12 wind turbines and has the advantage that it is close to an existing 110kV power line and can feed electricity there directly.
The Stor-Blåliden wind farm, with its up to 8 wind turbines, is a little further away, but offers outstanding wind conditions and is one of the most profitable locations in the region.
Thanks to the two pilot projects, we were able to gain extensive experience that we were later able to implement successfully in the Markbygden 1101 project.
How did the Markbygden 1101 project get so huge and why did you split it into three phases?
There are several reasons why the Markbygden 1101 project has been so large and has “grown” over time.
The first reason is that the permission process in Sweden is lengthy and costly. The second reason is that if you came from Germany in the early 2000s and wanted to plan wind farms in Sweden, then the projects had to be particularly economical. This profitability can be better achieved with large projects.
Another and most important reason are the wind conditions, which are excellent in Markbygden, as they are spread over a large area! We started the Markbygden 1101 project back in 2002 and it took more than 10 years for the invested money to flow back. In addition, dividing Project 1101 into three phases was a strategic consideration.
After the basic approval from the government in Stockholm, we didn’t want to lose time and quickly get the permits for the construction of the first of the 1101 wind turbines. So, we split up the project and first submitted the permit application for phase 1, for the construction of up to 314 wind turbines.
While the application documents for phase 1 were being processed by the approval authority, we were already preparing the documents for phase 2, etc…
What were your next steps after making this decision?
We closed our office in Motala quickly and opened in 2002 a new one in Umeå with our new employee Mikael Kyrk.
After we had secured the essential plots of land, we worked intensively for several years, and finally submitted the application to the Swedish government in Stockholm to build a wind farm with up to 4000 MW or up to 1.101 wind turbines in the Markbygden region.
Our application was approved by the government in March 2010. The next step was to apply to the regional administration for environmental and building permits. In order not to lose any time, we started the necessary preliminary examinations simultaneously.
Before the project 1101 you implemented two pilot projects. Can you please tell us more about it?
With pleasure! Behind this was the realization that we should gain even more experience in the construction and operation of wind turbines in the arctic climate.
For this reason, the two pilot projects Dragaliden and Stor-Blåliden have been planned. The Dragaliden wind farm, which was built between 2008 and 2010, comprises of 12 wind turbines and has the advantage that it is close to an existing 110kV power line and can feed electricity there directly.
The Stor-Blåliden wind farm, with its up to 8 wind turbines, is a little further away, but offers outstanding wind conditions and is one of the most profitable locations in the region.
Thanks to the two pilot projects, we were able to gain extensive experience that we were later able to implement successfully in the Markbygden 1101 project.
How did the Markbygden 1101 project get so huge and why did you split it into three phases?
There are several reasons why the Markbygden 1101 project has been so large and has “grown” over time.
The first reason is that the permission process in Sweden is lengthy and costly. The second reason is that if you came from Germany in the early 2000s and wanted to plan wind farms in Sweden, then the projects had to be particularly economical. This profitability can be better achieved with large projects.
Another and most important reason are the wind conditions, which are excellent in Markbygden, as they are spread over a large area! We started the Markbygden 1101 project back in 2002 and it took more than 10 years for the invested money to flow back. In addition, dividing Project 1101 into three phases was a strategic consideration.
After the basic approval from the government in Stockholm, we didn’t want to lose time and quickly get the permits for the construction of the first of the 1101 wind turbines. So, we split up the project and first submitted the permit application for phase 1, for the construction of up to 314 wind turbines.
While the application documents for phase 1 were being processed by the approval authority, we were already preparing the documents for phase 2, etc…
ABOVE: the pit of Lövberget located in 1101* Phase 1 and further in the MB1 project area, is providing many of the building sites and roads with material.
That was a clever idea you had! And how were you able to finance such a big project?
(laughs) Thank you very much!
To be able to finance this project, we planned, accomplished, and sold several smaller projects during that time. There were projects such as the Hörnefors and Robertsfors wind farms, each with 6 wind turbines, and the Gabrielsberget wind farm with 40 wind turbines. In addition, I developed and implemented projects as part of my work in Germany until 2005.
Without the smaller projects in Germany and Sweden, it would have been difficult to make such investments economically as in Markbygden.
What does the magic number “1101” mean?
(laughs again) We used software to calculate the maximum number of the wind turbines for the available area and the result was the number 1101. We loved this number so much that it became our brand for Markbygden later on.
How many wind turbines have already been installed in Markbygden?
I think we will not be able to reach the number 1101 at the end. The number was determined in 2010, when the dimensions of the wind turbines were significantly smaller. The technology has developed rapidly since then and the manufacturers are now offering larger wind turbines, unimaginable size in the past.
For example, in 2010 we built wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 82m and currently we are planning the wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 160m and more. I think we may end up with 700 wind turbines. The decisive factor is the amount of energy fed in and we will increase this compared to the first calculations.
Certainly, you have had some setbacks in your business. How did you deal with them?
In such situations it is very important to have a team by your side. After failing at something, we withdrew, sat down and analyzed the situation and options for action in detail.
We then checked what we did wrong and how we could have improved it. Then we put together the most promising strategy and looked for suitable approaches and solutions. However, in our experience one should not go “blindly” in such situations.
You should stay flexible, always question yourself and look to your right and left every now and then, or maybe take three steps back and then go ten steps forward. So far, we have navigated the labyrinth of our business excellently with it.
What is the main reason for the success of Svevind?
Svevind was only able to achieve its great success thanks to all the people who supported this vision from the beginning! When we opened our office in Northern Sweden, we worked with local consulting firms who gave us strong support in the Markbygden 1101 project and in various other projects.
They accompanied us to the communities, property owners, authorities and presented our projects together with us. Without the participation of these fantastic supporters and people, our success in Markbygden would not have been possible.
Another reason for our great success was certainly that we were the first to be present in Sweden right from the start.
What personal qualities does an entrepreneur need to have?
My personal experience shows that you need a lot of courage, a pronounced willingness to take risks, perseverance (the famous staying power), great optimism and loyal colleagues who stand by your side and support you.
ABOVE: the pit of Lövberget located in 1101* Phase 1 and further in the MB1 project area, is providing many of the building sites and roads with material.
That was a clever idea you had! And how were you able to finance such a big project?
(laughs) Thank you very much!
To be able to finance this project, we planned, accomplished, and sold several smaller projects during that time. There were projects such as the Hörnefors and Robertsfors wind farms, each with 6 wind turbines, and the Gabrielsberget wind farm with 40 wind turbines. In addition, I developed and implemented projects as part of my work in Germany until 2005.
Without the smaller projects in Germany and Sweden, it would have been difficult to make such investments economically as in Markbygden.
What does the magic number “1101” mean?
(laughs again) We used software to calculate the maximum number of the wind turbines for the available area and the result was the number 1101. We loved this number so much that it became our brand for Markbygden later on.
How many wind turbines have already been installed in Markbygden?
I think we will not be able to reach the number 1101 at the end. The number was determined in 2010, when the dimensions of the wind turbines were significantly smaller. The technology has developed rapidly since then and the manufacturers are now offering larger wind turbines, unimaginable size in the past.
For example, in 2010 we built wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 82m and currently we are planning the wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 160m and more. I think we may end up with 700 wind turbines. The decisive factor is the amount of energy fed in and we will increase this compared to the first calculations.
Certainly, you have had some setbacks in your business. How did you deal with them?
In such situations it is very important to have a team by your side. After failing at something, we withdrew, sat down and analyzed the situation and options for action in detail.
We then checked what we did wrong and how we could have improved it. Then we put together the most promising strategy and looked for suitable approaches and solutions. However, in our experience one should not go “blindly” in such situations.
You should stay flexible, always question yourself and look to your right and left every now and then, or maybe take three steps back and then go ten steps forward. So far, we have navigated the labyrinth of our business excellently with it.
What is the main reason for the success of Svevind?
Svevind was only able to achieve its great success thanks to all the people who supported this vision from the beginning! When we opened our office in Northern Sweden, we worked with local consulting firms who gave us strong support in the Markbygden 1101 project and in various other projects.
They accompanied us to the communities, property owners, authorities and presented our projects together with us. Without the participation of these fantastic supporters and people, our success in Markbygden would not have been possible.
Another reason for our great success was certainly that we were the first to be present in Sweden right from the start.
What personal qualities does an entrepreneur need to have?
My personal experience shows that you need a lot of courage, a pronounced willingness to take risks, perseverance (the famous staying power), great optimism and loyal colleagues who stand by your side and support you.