Polar Capacity and Mälarenergi announces cooperation

November 27, 2023

On Monday, the collaboration between Polar Capacity and Mälarenergi was announced with the aim of jointly investigating the conditions for establishing a shared 100 MW battery park in Västerås. The ambition is to build the battery park adjacent to Mälarenergi’s combined heat and power plant and have it operational by the turn of 2024-25.

“The proactive stance of a local energy company like Mälarenergi, leading the way and enhancing municipal resilience through strategic partnerships, is truly visionary. We are eagerly looking forward to taking the next steps together,” says Polar Capacity’s CEO, Patrik Nilsson.

Mälarenergi operates in a growing region where businesses need more power to sustain their growth. Simultaneously, the transition to a sustainable society with increased electrification is underway. Electricity consumption in Sweden is expected to double by 2045, imposing demands on both energy efficiency and increased electricity production, along with greater capacity in the electrical grids.

“Mälarenergi is fully committed to our journey towards net-zero emissions of fossil carbon dioxide,” says Niklas Gunnar, CEO of Mälarenergi. “We are constantly engaged in idea and development work, often in collaboration with others, such as partners and customers. If we are to succeed in this transition, collaboration and innovation are key. Two areas we are focusing on are storage and expanded electricity production. I look forward to working with Polar Capacity to develop decision support for forms of collaboration and investment so that we can proceed with the decision-making process for each party.”

The collaboration with Mälarenergi marks Polar Capacity’s second major joint project in 2023. Earlier this spring, the first collaboration was announced with Stockholm Exergi. That collaboration also aims for 100 MW of local capacity, with the first 20 MW expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024.

“We believe that the local perspective is crucial for the future energy system, and local energy companies bear significant responsibility and are poised to be winners in the future. That’s why we have chosen to focus on these types of collaborations. In the best-case scenario, we will soon be able to announce several similar collaborations with municipal entities,” concludes Patrik Nilsson.