The Green Energy Transition: Critical Infrastructure Consultancy
Energy transition infrastructure solutions, powered by end-to-end collaboration
- Energy strategy & advisory
- Solar, wind & hydrogen design & engineering
- Transmission & distribution
- Civils, structures & MEP
- Transportation & infrastructure
- Feasibility studies, impact assessments & licensing
- Carbon storage, reduction & management
Our core energy transition services
We lead and support leading-edge energy infrastructure projects across the world
The energy transition, which requires a seismic shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, is critical to achieving our collective net zero goals. Rapid decarbonisation and the concerted harnessing of clean and renewable energy on a global scale relies on a collaborative and coordinated action.
From policy, to planning, to personal behaviour changes, we must work together to unlock the potential for governments, businesses and each of us as individuals.
Sweco is a sought-after global advisor for complex, difference-making projects that genuinely transform society. We have played a key role in facilitating energy generation, transmission, distribution and storage infrastructure for a number of groundbreaking developments and schemes, including our involvement in the establishment of innovative large-scale battery manufacturing and fossil-free steel production – as well as renewable energy projects that will power millions of homes.
We are also providing expertise as trusted technical advisers for ‘energy islands’, which will be capable of producing renewable energy for many people across Europe. We have also been active in creating sustainable transport solutions, in the form of new and upgraded railways and electrification of transport infrastructure – while also focusing on the hydrogen economy as the cornerstone of future clean energy production.
Supporting the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan
The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan (CCP), and Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), are part of a long-term commitment to tackling climate change. The most recent CCP was launched in 2018 (currently being updated) and sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.
A critical step before finalising these plans is to carry out the various Impact Assessments to consider how Scotland’s #NetZero future may impact (either positively or negatively), different sectors of the population in different ways – and Sweco is proud to be playing a key role in that process.
The aim of this work is to improve policy effectiveness and to de-risk the policy launch process. #SwecoUK teams will use tried and tested impact assessment methodologies to consider impacts upon Scotland’s diverse community, its environment, and business sectors. The work will enable robust and evidence-based decision-making and ensure that policies are future-proofed in order that they can actively contribute to achieving Scotland’s Vision by 2045.
Creating innovative digital twins for Positive Energy Districts in Latvia
Earlier this year, an exciting kick-off summit took place in Latvia to launch an innovative ‘digital x sustainability’ project, as 19 partners from 11 countries met to develop plans and visions for a potentially transformative reset in the way district-wide energy estates can be planned and designed.
The ultimate collective challenge in the ExPEDite partnership is to enable the planned creation and management of, as the name suggests, PEDs – Positive Energy Districts. These are, in short, urban or extra-urban areas capable of generating, using and distributing energy in various forms to a wider grid.
Specifically, we will create and deploy a novel digital twin that allows for real-time monitoring, visualisation, and management of district-level energy flows. This, as part of a suite of replicable modelling tools, will enable stakeholders to analyse planning actions towards scalable creation of PEDs cost-effectively, by enabling evidence-based decision making.
Offshore wind drives Germany’s grid expansion efforts
Germany has set an energy goal to be climate neutral by 2045. To achieve this, the country is expanding its energy grid with a series of projects planned. One of them is the Rhein-Main-Link, a connection that will transport electricity from offshore wind farms in the North Sea over a 500-kilometer corridor to Hessen in the Rhein-Main region.
With a strong local industry and close to six million inhabitants, the region is a major energy consumer with high network requirements. The connection aims to satisfy the region’s growing energy needs from 2033 onward.
German TSO Amprion has contracted Sweco to provide project management during the entire planning phase. More specifically, Sweco is aiding Amprion in the collaborative management of the technical and environmental planning aspects, ensuring the project adheres to strict standards for timely delivery, quality and transparency.
High voltage grid expansion in the Netherlands
Dutch TSO TenneT has announced plans to double its investment in expanding grid capacity over the next decade, with hundreds of infrastructure projects slated in the Netherlands in response to the surging electricity demand.
TenneT has entered into a long-term contract with several partners, including Sweco, to support the engineering for the expansion of the national high voltage grid. This collaborative effort will focus on a range of technical, spatial and specialised activities that are crucial for adapting the grid to accommodate the growing reliance on renewable energy installations like wind turbines and solar parks, together with the electrification of many processes.
Sweco is involved in a variety of projects, focusing on the design and engineering of high voltage stations, underground cable connections and overhead line engineering. Sweco’s experts handle everything from initial feasibility studies to detailed design, including field and soil investigations, environmental impact assessments and community participation processes.
Sweco has also played a pivotal role in standardisation projects, creating a standard design for new 380kV and 110/150kV stations to expedite TenneT’s deployment of these stations. In addition to direct engagements with TenneT, Sweco collaborates with contractors to provide detailed design services for a range of high voltage stations and overhead lines.
10MW Hydrogen connectrolyser feasibility & environmental study
In this pioneering study for Hydrogenus, Sweco provided evidence and delivered key insights into the practicalities of local hydrogen ‘hubs’, specifically targeting a UK knowledge gap whilst directly addressing the client’s challenges in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Engineers from within Sweco Belgium’s Hydrogen team, supported by environmental and transportation experts in the UK, took the lead on the technical design of the Connectrolyser, covering:
- Scenario modelling capturing the nature of the end-use demand and power source (Sweco UK)
- Functional engineering design of the hydrogen hub (Sweco Belgium)
- Financial (affordability) modelling of the construction, operation and maintenance of the hydrogen hub (Sweco UK)
- Economic modelling to understand the environmental, health and wider benefits associated with the hydrogen hub (Sweco UK)
Our report broadly aimed to identify and set out what the key constraints and opportunities are in the prevailing policy context, achieved through the formulation of functional design and implementation plans, calculation of balance of plant requirements to meet transportation / heavy industry needs, and an overview of the economic costs and benefits associated with a plant of this productive capacity.
Future-proofing Sweden’s grid
Wind power expansion, nuclear decommissioning and overall increased energy consumption in Sweden require greater transmission capacity in the electricity grid throughout the country.
State-owned TSO Svenska kraftnät has commissioned Sweco with the task of completing a comprehensive review and upgrade of the entire system. This includes ensuring the reliability of the 16,000 kilometres of overhead lines that make up the backbone of the country’s electricity supply.
More specifically, Sweco is completing a preliminary study and pre-planning and detailed project planning of measures to be taken for a review of the overhead lines. Sweco’s assignment also encompasses geotechnical surveys and analysis to ensure the safety and security of overhead lines.
We’re proud to be part of the SizeWell C Consortium – read more here
Accelerating the energy transition
The UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) and the Paris Agreement have secured international support and are focused on accelerating the transition towards sustainable societies and fossil-free economies.
The world now needs to shift from agreement to implementation of solutions in the areas of energy, industry, mobility, buildings and infrastructure. Mitigation and adaptation prompted by climate change will be major transformation drivers in coming decades. This creates great business opportunities, but also challenges in the form of market adjustments, energy price volatility and global conflicts regarding environmental impact and permit processes.
Renewable energy and electrification
The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive was tightened in 2021, raising the renewable energy target to 40 rather than 32 per cent, by 2030. The binding targets for reduced energy consumption were also tightened. Among other things, the public sector is required to renovate buildings with a focus on reduced energy consumption and lower costs.
The phase-out of fossil fuels alongside the electrification of transport and industry is driving investments in renewable energy production, electricity grid expansion and energy storage initiatives. Fossil-free hydrogen, in particular, is expected to play a key role in future sustainable energy systems.
What I love about working at Sweco is our ability to genuinely shape a sustainable future, together with our clients. We’re in a position to lead Europe’s energy transformation, with our global ‘team of teams’ driving innovative engineering, environmental technology and efficient processes to design thriving communities for a greener society.
Stewart Craigie Technical Director – Energy
Circular economy
The industry, property and infrastructure sectors are increasingly interested in circularity due to rising raw material prices, stricter climate goals and more proactive policies on the part of the EU and its member states. Industrial symbiosis is emerging, with co-located operations that make efficient use of waste streams and are part of integrated energy flows.
New buildings are designed for future re-use of materials and products. Retrofitting improves performance and extends the life of existing buildings. This creates new business models, partnerships and the need for large amounts of data from the entire lifecycle.
Welfare and social sustainability
Focus is on social sustainability when urban development is pressured by the political unrest, alienation and economic uncertainty that are exacerbated by the pandemic. Government investments in public welfare, in the form of stimulus packages and restart budgets, have explicit sustainability and climate transition requirements.
Designed as a post-disaster recovery, “Building Back Better” has influenced European politics and is considered as the way forward after the pandemic. A rapid climate transition also raises social challenges as the labour market shifts away from the fossil fuel economy and high energy prices put pressure on both businesses and households.
How we help businesses drive climate action
Strategic support
There is growing understanding that drastic change is required. But clear guidance is in short supply. Sweco’s role is to join the dots between strategic climate ambitions and practical implementation. We show our clients where efforts can be best directed.
Insight leadership
We want to go beyond simply enabling carbon reduction in our projects. We need to make it happen. To do this, we continue to raise industry awareness and make carbon reduction a contractual standard across the supply chain, by providing thought leadership as well as practical direction.
Carbon collaboration
Through a programme of continuous carbon management, including design team training and the introduction of enhanced digital techniques, we highlight new opportunities for carbon reduction to clients. If carbon management is applicable to a project but not requested, we set out the opportunities that it offers.
Digital transformation
We have developed digital techniques to clearly communicate the carbon impact of design decisions. This helps to build awareness among clients, engineers, and key stakeholders. Developments in artificial intelligence are set to automatically optimise carbon and associated costs in the near future.
Lifecycle foresight
We help clients in every sector actively challenge their supply chain, through procurement mechanisms that require carbon reduction and encourage innovation. Critically, we also ensure that focus is maintained on carbon impacts throughout project lifecycle, and post-completion.
UNSDG mindset
Each project we undertake is aligned to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development goals. Sustainability is at the heart of our building designs, transportation projects, landscape architecture visions, and infrastructure planning workflows – which allows us to truly transform society.
