How Aurinkokarhu Accelerated Their Pivot to Hybrid Projects Using Glint Solar

The Challenge: Navigating a Shifting Market and Strict Regulations

As the solar market in the North faced headwinds, Aurinkokarhu saw an opportunity in frequency markets with BESS. However, BESS projects bring a unique set of challenges, specifically noise emissions. In Finland, municipalities and investors are incredibly strict regarding the noise impact of battery sites on local residents.

Traditionally, this noise impact analysis required hiring expensive external consultants for noise studies, adding weeks of delay and significant costs to the early-stage development phase as a standard noise simulation typically can cost several thousand euros when purchased as an external consulting service.

The Solution: Bringing Technical Analysis In-House - with One Click

By using Glint Solar, Aurinkokarhu was able to integrate BESS design and noise simulation directly into their workflow.

“Without Glint Solar, I think it would have been really hard for us to get those BESS projects," says Tobias, Project Engineer at Aurinkokarhu. "The noise simulations are very valuable because Finnish municipalities are very strict about emissions. We can now do those studies ourselves instead of buying them from a consultant firm.”

The Workflow: From Prospecting to Permit

Aurinkokarhu uses Glint Solar as the "first look" for every project. Their process is now streamlined for speed:

1. Rapid Prospecting: Identifying parcel numbers and checking MW/MWh capacity.
2. Instant Layouts: Creating initial designs for solar, BESS, or PV and BESS hybrid sites in just minutes.
3. Noise & Yield Analysis: Running simulations to ensure the site is viable before moving to the high-cost permit phase.
4. Seamless Export: Moving the Glint Solar layout into AutoCAD in seconds for final building permits.

The Result: Speed, Accuracy, and Investor Confidence

“From the very beginning, the initial layout was created manually in AutoCAD. This was a time-consuming process, especially in the early stages of projects when many layout iterations had to be produced. Since autumn 2023, when we started using Glint, the work has become significantly more efficient. With Glint, the initial layout can now be generated in just a few minutes, resulting in substantial time savings compared to our previous way of working. At the same time, it has been both interesting and valuable for us to be part of Glint’s development, where we have been able to contribute input on features and improvements based on our needs.”

The team has already scaled to nearly 10 BESS projects and a handful of hybrid sites, using Glint Solar’s data to build confidence with landowners and investors alike. Tobias continues “At present, we have approximately 1,200 MW of BESS projects under development, as well as around 400 MW of hybrid projects. Of the hybrid capacity, 250 MW consists of solar power and 150 MW of BESS.”

"It’s just easy," Tobias explains. "To do a simple analysis takes maybe two minutes. You draw the polygons, exclude the areas, and you are ready."

About Aurinkokarhu

Aurinkokarhu is a Finnish solar project developer focused on advancing large-scale solar parks across Finland. The company specializes in early-stage development, from site identification and landowner collaboration to preparing projects for investment and construction, with a strong emphasis on responsible land use and long-term energy infrastructure.

With a growing pipeline and partnerships across the Nordic renewable energy ecosystem, Aurinkokarhu is helping accelerate Finland’s transition toward scalable, utility-scale solar power.

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