Solar power plant now delivering electricity to Longyearbyen's power grid

"This is a milestone for the energy supply in Longyearbyen and an important step towards a more renewable energy mix. This summer the solar power systems are producing at full capacity. That means we have surplus power that can be fed into the power grid in Longyearbyen," says Mons Ole Sellevold, senior adviser energy at Store Norske (the state-owned mining company)

Svalbard Energi, which is owned by Store Norske, runs the energy supply in Longyearbyen. In 2023 coal was replaced by diesel as the energy source. This gave a considerable reduction in CO₂ emissions, while the ambition has all along been to phase in more renewable energy.

A new regulation from the Ministry of Energy, which is now out for consultation, facilitates a scheme in which actors can be paid for delivering solar energy into the power grid in Longyearbyen. The regulation is expected to enter into force in 2027 at the earliest. The testing that is now starting is to provide valuable experience before the scheme is introduced.

"We are very pleased that we can start the testing already now, while solar production is high through the summer. To begin with it is purely technical testing, without suppliers being paid for the power. It is to give us experience of how the production affects the power grid, while we establish good solutions for measuring, recording and monitoring the energy production. A secure energy supply is our highest priority. When new energy sources are connected to the grid, this must happen gradually and in a controlled way to avoid unwanted operational disruptions," says Torstein Sole-Gärtner, head of Svalbard Energi.

In 2023 Store Norske installed solar power systems at Polarhotellet, Polarsenteret and Svalbard folk high school. It is these systems that are initially to deliver power into the grid.

"In time we also hope to be able to test more systems in Longyearbyen. There are solar power systems on the Coop building, the Materials Warehouse, the Student Welfare Organisation and Avinor, among others. These all have the potential to deliver power to the grid, in addition to several smaller solar power systems around Longyearbyen," says Mons Ole Sellevold.

At the same time the energy system in Longyearbyen faces a major modernisation. Store Norske is planning to build a new energy plant at Hotellneset, while the power grid and the district heating network are to be renewed. The company recently announced that the start of the groundwork is planned for spring 2027.

"When the new energy plant is ready, diesel will still be the most important energy source. The renewable energy solutions are not yet mature enough to safeguard security of supply in a community like Longyearbyen. At the same time we are building an energy system that makes it possible to phase in more renewable energy in time. In the concept selection study we have concluded that solar, wind and a sea heat pump are what may be suitable. The testing of solar power into the power grid is an important step on this path," says Bergit Svenning, head of the development project at Store Norske.