This is the conclusion reached by Kristian Petersson of the Federation of Swedish Farmers, LRF, and Ola Albrektsson of Agro脰rebro. They are project managers for the Smart Renewable Energy Solutions project and presented their conclusions at Brunnby Agricultural Field Days 2026.
鈥淲e have seen a sharp increase in interest in renewable energy and on-farm production. Smart Renewable Energy Solutions is an ambitious initiative. The aim is to increase local energy production among rural businesses in eastern central Sweden and strengthen energy systems at both regional and individual business level,鈥� says Kristian Petersson.
One of the main conclusions is that the energy solutions of the future need to be viewed as an integrated whole.
鈥淥ne limitation today is that many renewable energy systems still operate independently of one another. This applies whether we are talking about hydrogen, biogas, fossil-free fuels, wind power or solar power,鈥� says Ola Albrektsson.
Self-sufficient energy systems
Historically, farms have purchased diesel and electricity for their own use. However, the trend is moving towards farms being able to produce and manage a large proportion of their own energy.
Ulrik Svedin
The project has combined knowledge gathering with practical trials in energy efficiency, digitalisation and data-driven optimisation. Its focus has been on supporting businesses through trials, new models, knowledge building and business development.
Mapping the system leads to better decisions
The transition requires investment. The project team therefore recommends beginning with a detailed assessment of the farm鈥檚 energy system.
鈥淲here is energy being consumed? Where can I store and produce energy? What does the infrastructure look like, and which systems can communicate with one another? Answering these questions provides a better basis for decision-making and reduces the risk of investing in the wrong solutions.鈥�
Solar power and storage
Solar panels are already common on Swedish farms, but development is moving towards systems in which several forms of energy work together. Electricity is also becoming a raw material for other forms of energy production, such as hydrogen.
Storage is becoming increasingly important
鈥淲hen it comes to batteries, the focus is now less on power output and more on how much energy a battery can store,鈥� says Kristian Petersson.
Battery technology is developing rapidly and is becoming increasingly well adapted to Nordic conditions.
鈥淵ou need to start from your own requirements. How much energy do you need during the night, and how long do you want to be able to operate independently? The battery can then be sized accordingly,鈥� says Ola Albrektsson.
Other promising solutions include water-cooled solar panels that allow the heat to be recovered, as well as thermal energy storage using water or sand.
From the tractor to the electricity grid
Many farms produce more solar electricity than they use during certain parts of the year. New energy storage solutions are therefore being tested.
Together with Traktorarvid, the project is developing a system in which an electric autonomous agricultural machine also serves as an energy storage unit. At Hasta farm, the machine鈥檚 battery has been connected to the electricity grid, allowing the stored electricity to be sold when it is not needed on the farm.
Manure as a raw material
When electricity prices are low, it becomes increasingly important to find other uses for surplus electricity.
Biogas is already an established option. Manure is first used to produce biogas, after which the resulting digestate can be used as biofertiliser.
New technology also makes it possible to produce nitrogen fertiliser directly on the farm. Electricity is used to convert nitrogen from the air into compounds that plants can absorb.
鈥淚n this way, nitrogen fertiliser can be produced as part of the farm鈥檚 own energy production.鈥�
Hydrogen, ammonia and e-fuels
Looking further ahead, there is considerable interest in using hydrogen and ammonia for energy storage.
鈥淥ne advantage of ammonia is that it is easier to store than hydrogen,鈥� says Kristian Petersson.At the same time, technologies are being developed that could improve the efficiency of hydrogen production. Another area of development is e-fuels, in which electricity is used to produce synthetic petrol or diesel from carbon dioxide captured from the air.
鈥淚nstead of selling electricity at low prices, farms might be able to produce their own fuel in small-scale units.鈥�
The financial viability of the transition remains a challenge, but the project managers believe that progress could be rapid.
鈥淚n five years, research and development may have cracked the code and made these solutions financially viable,鈥� says Kristian Petersson.
