Regional Problem Solver with Vision
Interview with Christina Holzhauer, Managing Director, and Alexander Rohrssen, Managing Director of Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land GmbH
Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land GmbH, emerged from the municipal services of Wolfhagen, has been an integral part of the regional energy supply for over two decades. With a clear focus on sustainability and customer loyalty, they have developed into a pioneer in the field of renewable energies as well. Christina Holzhauer and Alexander Rohrssen are responsible for managing both the municipal and regional services. In the interview, they discuss groundbreaking decisions and the role of their companies as a regional solution provider focused on long-term partnerships with municipalities and citizens.
Wirtschaftsforum: Ms. Holzhauer, Mr. Rohrssen, you have driven impressive developments at Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land in recent years. What were important steps in this process?
Christina Holzhauer: The Regionalwerke in Wolfhager Land originally emerged from the municipal services of Wolfhagen. Since the founding of the municipal services in 2000, the company has continuously evolved and established its own business areas alongside network operations and distribution. A significant step was in 2006, the takeover of the networks in the districts, as it was rare in Germany for municipalities to award the concession to a new operator. Until then, it was unusual to choose a different network operator than the previous one. Since then, the Wolfhagen municipal services have been independently operating the entire city network and all districts. Another milestone was our entry into the field of Renewable Energies in 2008. After lengthy planning and political headwinds, we were able to realize one of the first wind parks in the forest in 2014. In parallel, we built a photovoltaic park in 2012. Both projects are today defining for our orientation and the city of Wolfhagen.
Wirtschaftsforum: How has the citizen energy cooperative influenced the development of your company?
Alexander Rohrssen: The citizen energy cooperative plays a central role in our strategy. It was founded in 2012 alongside the construction of the solar park and has enabled citizens to directly participate in renewable energy projects. 25% of the shares in the municipal utilities were taken over by the cooperative at that time. This not only strengthens acceptance but also customer loyalty. Our cooperative members benefit both from the revenues from renewable energies and from our traditional businesses. At the same time, it is ensured that they purchase electricity and natural gas through the municipal utilities of Wolfhagen. This has contributed to us having a stable customer base of around 14,000 customers, approximately 10% of whom are members of the cooperative.
Wirtschaftsforum: How have your companies developed?
Alexander Rohrssen: The energy crisis has significantly increased our revenues and expenditures. Our focus has been and remains on sustainable growth. We are not interested in quick business with bonuses and discounts. We are committed to long-term customer loyalty by emphasizing our regional claim. Our customers appreciate that we are local and can address their concerns directly. This trust we have built is our big plus in the competition.
Christina Holzhauer: Our goal is to be the leading energy provider and network operator in our region as Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land, for the citizens, the employees, and the municipalities. Profit maximization is not our focus, but rather the claim to be the number one solution provider locally.
Wirtschaftsforum: You founded the Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land in 2020.
Christina Holzhauer: The founding of the Regionalwerke Wolfhager Land was a strategic step to separate network operations and water supply from the municipal utilities and to consolidate them back completely in municipal hands. The Regionalwerke are 100% owned by the city of Wolfhagen. At the same time, the citizen energy cooperative has further increased its share in the municipal utilities. However, our two companies continue to work hand in hand, we consider ourselves a unit. In the coming years, we plan to expand our capacities in the renewable energy sector. We see great potential especially in the wind and solar sector.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your messages to politics?
Alexander Rohrssen: Politics must consistently drive forward the energy industry and digitalization. Many opportunities have been missed in recent years. It is crucial that the current momentum in the expansion of renewable energies is not lost due to bureaucratic hurdles. Digitalization is also a milestone that creates transparency and drives forward the energy transition and sector coupling.
Wirtschaftsforum: What personally motivates you every day anew?
Alexander Rohrssen: The daily challenges that come our way make the work exciting and motivating.
Christina Holzhauer: And it motivates us to see that we can make a difference as a team. In recent years we have more than doubled our number of employees, from 24 to now 54 employees. The passion that goes into our work is the key to our successful company development and ensures that we continue on a good path.