Around 40% of the electricity needs at a silicon metal production site at Holla in Norway is to be met by hydropower over the next five years, as Statkraft signs an agreement with chemical company Wacker.
Under the terms of the deal, Statkraft will supply a total of 2.35 TWh of certified Norwegian hydropower to Wacker’s Holla site between January 2022 and December 2027. Around 525GWh of this will come from the Svean hydropower plant under a green power purchase agreement (PPA).
“Switching to green power in our production is an important lever for achieving our sustainability goals,” said Wacker CEO Christian Hartel. “The Holla site is the first step. In the short to medium term, we intend to steadily expand our green power portfolio with further purchases in Norway and Europe.”
“We’re happy to contribute to WACKER meeting their goals for electricity use and greenhouse gas reductions, and at the same time ensure stability both for Statkraft and the power-intensive industries,” added EVP Market & IT, Hallvard Granheim.
Statkraft said it is working closely with the power-intensive industry in Norway and the Nordics to offer short and long-term contracts hedging their electricity consumption. In recent years Statkraft has signed new contracts with several industrial companies, some lasting until 2039.
Image: Wacker produces silicon metal in Holla, Norway (© Wacker).
