In Norway, Solør Bioenergi AS, part of the Sweden-headed biomass-fired district energy provider Solör Bioenergy Group (Solör), has announced that it via its subsidiary Solør Bioenergi Varme AS, has entered into an agreement to acquire the shares in Oplandske Bioenergi AS. The purchase means that Solör expands its portfolio of bioheat plant operations in the central-eastern region of Norway.
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Oplandske Bioenergi was founded in 2006 by farmers and forest owners in Gjøvik and Stange. Soon Glommen Mjøsen Skog AS, Hedalm AS, and Eidsiva Bioenergi AS came on board the ownership side, and the company has, through this ownership constellation, had a stable development.
The company has mainly worked with district heating based on woody biomass from the region. In 2021 Oplandske opened Norway’s first commercial biochar plant at Rudshøgda in Innlandet.
It is the first Norwegian biochar producer to obtain the European Biochar Certification classified as “EBC grade feed char”, which is the highest class with very strict requirements for content and properties.
Oplandske Bioenergi today consists of 23 local district heating and district heating plants that supply energy to industry, businesses, public buildings, and private customers. The total supply of energy amounts to 60 GWh annually.
As part of a larger transaction, the plants at Rudshøgda, Løten, Eidsvold, and Eidsvold Verk have been divested to Eidsiva Bioenergi.
The biochar operations at Rudshøgda are placed in a separate company with Eidsiva Bioenergi and Glommen Mjøsen Skog as owners.
Expand the Norweigian portfolio
The other remaining 18 plants will be part of Solør Bioenergi’s portfolio of district heating plants.
Solør Bioenergi wants to further develop operations at these facilities in close cooperation with customers, suppliers, and local authorities.
Since its start in 2003, Solör Bioenergy Group has developed into a leading player in renewable energy in Norway and Sweden, and today has more than 2.5 TWh in total energy deliveries.
For the Norwegian part of the business, the head office is in Kirkenær. With the acquisition of the local heating systems from Oplandske Bioenergi Solør Bioenergi strengthens its investment in the Inland region.
We look forward to supporting the further development of sustainable heating solutions in the region. The investment in local and district heating has been – and is – very important to reach overall climate goals. In addition, district heating contributes to relieving the load on the electricity grid, which in turn reduces society’s investment needs, and frees up a lot of electricity capacity for more appropriate purposes than heating, such as electric car charging, said Hans M. Moss, Chairman of the Board of Solør Bioenergi Varme.
As a representative of the selling shareholders in Oplandske Bioenergi, Chairman Heidi Hemstad expresses satisfaction that it is industrial and long-term owners who are now taking over the baton and taking the development further.
With the scope the business has gained, it is right that professional actors with a larger operational and administrative apparatus now take over the responsibility for further development. We are convinced that the new owners will contribute to continued development by continuing to facilitate sustainable energy solutions. The daily operation of district heating continues with the same high delivery reliability as before, and we are very satisfied with that, said Heidi Hemstad.
