Solar Power Needs Strong Partners
Interview with Markus Krampe, Managing Director of Enovos Renewables O&M GmbH
Photovoltaics are booming – but what happens once the modules are installed? That's when the phase begins where operation, maintenance, and performance optimization decide the economic efficiency. Markus Krampe, Managing Director of Enovos Renewables O&M GmbH in Saarbrücken, explains in the interview why the professional operation of PV systems is demanding, what challenges need to be mastered daily – and how his team ensures that solar power flows reliably.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Krampe, many people think that operating PV systems is easy. Why is this a misconception?
Markus Krampe: The impression often arises from the private perspective: a small system on the house roof, which is rarely checked. If a string fails, it often goes unnoticed. The situation is completely different at the power plant level: here it's about medium to high voltage, economic operation, and contractual obligations in the B2B sector. Anyone who believes that a PV system runs maintenance-free will be disabused at the latest when the first serious failure of an inverter occurs.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are the challenges in operational management?
Markus Krampe: A major challenge is vegetation control. We deliberately use animals to prevent growth that could shade the modules and reduce performance. Moreover, each PV system is unique. Different module and inverter types, wiring, and site conditions require customized maintenance. We therefore see ourselves as a free workshop for all brands, which gives us flexibility and independence to quickly respond to the individual needs of each facility.
Wirtschaftsforum: How has your company positioned itself in this market?
Markus Krampe: Our origin is in the O&M business of Q-Cells. After their bankruptcy, we took over the service division. Today we manage about one gigawatt of installations and are part of the Luxembourg energy conglomerate Encevo. Our strength lies in the versatility and expertise that we have developed over the past years.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your core services?
Markus Krampe: We are starting with the monitoring. Our colleagues monitor the facilities from sunrise to sunset to detect and diagnose errors early before a technician has to visit the site for an inspection. Additionally, we take on repairs and revamping measures. We offer expertise in medium-voltage areas and a growing range of services in repowering. This enables us to extend the life of facilities and secure their efficiency in the long term.
Wirtschaftsforum: What does your personnel structure look like?
Markus Krampe: We currently have about 25 dedicated people and are looking for further reinforcements. The German part of the Encevo group has a total of 500 employees, and in total, more than 2,500 people work for Encevo across Europe. Our business is labor-intensive – it's about trust and experience. We offer a long-term perspective, which ensures us low turnover and a stable team. Our employees particularly value the opportunities for development and the exciting work in the field of renewable energies.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you deal with margin pressure?
Markus Krampe: In the past, service was often included in project prices. Nowadays, customers purchase the plant and tender the service separately. The market is very competitive. We focus on quality, process optimization, supplier partnerships, and digitalization, especially in monitoring. Additionally, we have introduced a quality management system and are working on an information security management system to permanently secure our customers' trust.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is the significance of the Saarbrücken location for you?
Markus Krampe: Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate are our home markets. We operate our own facilities here and know the region well, which enables rapid response times. At the same time, we are connected across Europe through our corporate structure, for example, via our sister companies in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. This gives us flexibility and strength on an international level.
Wirtschaftsforum: What challenges do you see for the future of solar energy – and how does Enovos Renewables O&M address them?
Markus Krampe: In my opinion, solar power is particularly predictable during the day compared to wind power, but to use it more efficiently, we need more storage solutions such as battery systems or pumped-storage power plants. Also, the regulatory effort in grid operation and billing should be urgently simplified. At the same time, the complexity and care intensity of operating PV systems are often underestimated. In addition to repairs, preventive maintenance, precise monitoring, and measures such as targeted vegetation control are crucial. The goal is to ensure the highest technical availability of the systems. Our claim is to co-design the energy transition actively with experienced partners, to establish new standards in operational management, and to ensure high performance and reliability of the systems permanently – in the interest of our customers and a sustainable energy future.