VERBUND at EM-Power Europe 2024 – forward-looking solutions for the energy transition
VERBUND, Austria’s leading energy company and one of the largest generators of electricity from hydropower in Europe, will be presenting its comprehensive portfolio, ranging from flexibility marketing, battery storage and green hydrogen to electromobility, for the first time at EM-Power. EM-Power is part of the innovation platform “The smarter E Europe”, an international trade fair for energy management and networked energy solutions in Munich.
One of the major challenges of the energy transition involves balancing generation and consumption in order to keep the electricity grid in a stable condition. This is precisely why VERBUND offers customised marketing solutions, including optimisation on all energy markets, with Power-Flex. “Battery storage systems play a central role in the integration of new renewables into the energy system. We combine our know-how in the areas of storage and the energy market with our expertise in flexibility marketing. Innovative management concepts open up a wide range of opportunities for operators of battery storage systems to develop new business models,” says Harald Ott, Head of Demand Response at VERBUND Energy4Business. VERBUND has been successfully marketing and optimising battery storage systems on the Austrian and German markets since 2018. The marketed battery storage capacity in the German market alone now totals more than 200 MW.
Integrating, stabilising, marketing
The expansion of the portfolio and the further development from storage operator using hydropower to storage operator using battery storage is a logical step for VERBUND. VERBUND not only uses its many years of experience in the marketing of storage systems and the expertise it has gained in the integration of battery storage systems to achieve further growth in this segment, but also offers its marketing expertise to other companies. VERBUND plans to install a total of 1 GW of battery storage capacity by the end of 2030.
E-charging infrastructure for the mobility transition
With all-in-one charging solutions for businesses and the housing industry, VERBUND offers complete packages for getting started with e-mobility. VERBUND actively supports the industrial, property and transport sectors on their way to zero-emission mobility and opens up new perspectives for clean mobility, image and eco-balance. “The rapid electrification of the transport sector is driving the mobility transition. With our activities aimed at decarbonising the energy system, we are addressing the sector coupling of energy and mobility. With our all-in-one offers, we also provide the infrastructure in addition to the green electricity,” emphasises Alex Decker, Head of Smart Charging Services, VERBUND Energy4Business.
Key technology for the energy transition
Green hydrogen is a crucial building block for achieving climate targets and the sustainable decarbonisation of many industrial applications, and is a cornerstone of VERBUND’s strategy. VERBUND is active along the entire value chain and drives the development of the hydrogen economy from the demand side.
In the short term, local hydrogen projects in energy-intensive sectors such as fertiliser and steel production are being promoted. In the long term, VERBUND Green Hydrogen GmbH plans to establish diversified import routes in order to meet the growing demand for green hydrogen. Franz Helm, Managing Director of Verbund Green Hydrogen GmbH, emphasises that VERBUND is driving the decarbonisation of the industry forward through partnerships along the value chain, local projects and diversified import routes. The initiation of hydrogen import alliances in Austria and Bavaria will ensure future security of supply.
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About VERBUND
VERBUND AG is Austria’s leading energy company and one of Europe’s largest generators of electricity from hydropower. The company generates around 98 percent of its electricity from renewables, primarily hydropower. VERBUND trades in electricity in 12 countries and achieved an annual turnover of approximately 2,266 million euros and an EBITDA of around 4,490 million euros in 2023 with around 3,800 employees. With its subsidiaries and partners, VERBUND is active in the segments of electricity generation, transport and international trade and distribution. VERBUND has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1988, with 51% of the share capital held by the Republic of Austria.
VERBUND is the key player for ensuring the success of the energy transition in Austria. The challenges this involves require the entire company to take a unified approach, which VERBUND is driving forward with Mission V. Mission V is a long-term, comprehensive transformation programme and represents the company’s will to counteract the climate crisis in its capacity as the power behind the transition. This programme is based on the VERBUND strategy 2030 with its three directions: strengthening the integrated core market, expanding renewables in Europe and becoming established as a European hydrogen player. With Mission V, VERBUND is pushing ahead with achieving the strategic goals for 2030 and ensuring their implementation.