voltwerk evolves into leading investor in regenerative energy projects in Europe
- voltwerk is growing into an international market leader
- turnover of approximately 250 million euros in 2006
Hamburg, 25 August 2006: The Hamburg-based voltwerk AG, a subsidiary of the listed company Conergy AG, is growing as an international market leader in the investment of renewable energy projects. This year alone, the company and its international subsidiaries will carry out large solar, wind and bioenergy projects with a total volume of approximately 250 million euros. Compared to the previous year (at 140 million euros), this is an increase in project volume of about 80% which has contributed substantially to the 50% increase in turnover and revenues for Conergy AG.
The rapid expansion of large-scale international projects is significantly contributing to voltwerk's growth. One of four projects is already being carried out abroad this year. In Spain alone, voltwerk will implement major photovoltaics projects with an investment volume of more than 50 million euros which exceeds the company's turnover for the first time over the German market. Moreover, initial regenerative projects will be carried out on a large scale in Italy and in France in 2007. These projects will already profit from more lucrative conditions due to improved legal power-feed regulations. "With falling module prices, we can carry out many major photovoltaics projects which are in our pipeline in order to continue to offer our institutional investors a variety of lucrative solar investments until 2008,“ says Nikolaus Krane, Chairman of the Board of voltwerk AG.
Project financing through institutional investors
During the past year, voltwerk AG has increasingly expanded its partnership with institutional investors and has already attained a third of its turnover with this group. This year, the share will clearly exceed 80 percent. "Many internationally active investors are discovering the potential of renewable energy investments in the European market. Due to their relatively consistent reflux of capital, direct investments into these projects are particularly interesting," explains Nikolaus Krane. Thanks to the international project pipeline, and the use of different regenerative technologies, investors can coordinate their portfolio with voltwerk according to their own requirements. "Security-oriented capital providers are focussing more on photovoltaics, while profit-oriented investors tend to place more emphasis on bioenergy," further explains Nikolaus Krane.