The challenges
Following the merger of Wärme Hamburg and Hamburg Energie to form Hamburger Energiewerke in 2022, there were different perspectives and approaches with regard to renewable energies. Due to the extensive internal and external changes, Hamburger Energiewerke felt compelled to develop a strategy including an implementation path for renewable energies as the basis for decarbonization. Key success factors for the expansion of renewable energies are access to land and a highly effective organization for the independent development of projects and for the purchase of systems that have already been developed. In addition, economically attractive marketing and sales of the renewable electricity generated are of central importance.
As a municipal company, Hamburger Energiewerke is particularly challenged to reconcile economic and political interests and to win over the Supervisory Board (Senator for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture of the City of Hamburg) with regard to a joint growth and decarbonization strategy.
Our approach
The "Renewable Energies" strategy creates the basis for the decarbonization of energy generation in and for Hamburg and establishes a clear expansion path as a guideline. It focuses on a high level of in-house value creation and efficient integration of service providers to increase profitability along a new process and role model. The project and the realignment of the EE business division will strengthen the interaction between functional areas.
The solution
The Supervisory Board, the Management Board and other stakeholders were continuously involved in the development of the strategy throughout the entire project phase through open and transparent communication. The need for change was identified on the basis of an initial market analysis.
By involving the specialist departments and their employees in the numerous workshops, the integrative Horváth approach achieved broad acceptance and enabled an exchange at working level. As a result, the strategy was co-developed and supported by the employees with a high level of motivation.
The specifics of HEnW were considered from the outset when developing the EE strategy. The role and responsibility of an integrated energy supplier for the supply of electricity and heat with regional roots and local sales potential was thus taken into account in the business models and expansion paths.
With its market expertise and methodological competence, the Horváth team made a very successful contribution to the development of a customized EE strategy. In addition to the always professional collaboration, the collaborative approach in particular was a key success factor in creating momentum in the organization.
For this project, HEnW was presented, together with Horváth, with the Best of Consulting Award 2024 by WirtschaftsWoche.
Your Contact
Malte Langner