What expertise do you provide to your partners in project business?
Jörg Lennertz: Before I go into that, I would like to mention the wider role of Uniper in that context. Namely that, alongside renewables, we are about security of supply. At the end of the day, that’s what Uniper stands for. It is not a conflict in the typical triangle of sustainability, security of supply and affordability. Uniper perfectly symbolises that these three objectives are not a trade-off but actually go hand in hand. So, by providing security of supply and flexible generation, Uniper is also helping to integrate new renewables into the energy system.
Uniper – extensive experience in project business (video)
How important is this experience to your customers?
This experience, this expertise built over more than 100 years, is something we can offer to our partners. And when I say partners, these are co‑development partners and also the offtakers of green power. There are more than 1,000 municipalities and industrial clients. It is not only about transforming Uniper, but also about Uniper helping to transform our customers.
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You are active not only in Germany but across Europe. Which markets do you find most interesting?
Uniper is a global company, especially in the commodity space. When we look at renewables development, we talk about onshore wind, solar PV, and currently seven markets in Europe. Of course, we always look at adjacent markets to further diversify. But to your question, we are active with people and projects in Sweden, France, Italy, the UK, Poland, Hungary and Germany. In each of those seven markets we have projects and people on the ground, but also partnerships with local development partners.
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Which of your European projects has been the most challenging or most interesting? Could you share one example?
Tough question, because I could pick several. But if I were to pick one, it is probably Wilhelmshaven. It is a solar PV project in the north of Germany, on the coast of the North Sea. It is being built now on a former fly ash landfill. I think that nicely symbolises the transition of a former power plant site: built on a landfill but also connecting through the old power plant infrastructure. All of this is happening next to where Uniper is developing the LNG terminal, developing an electrolyser project and building infrastructure to help ramp up the German hydrogen economy.
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So, would you describe it as a new hotspot of the energy transition?
Indeed. That is what we stand for. We have these energy transition hubs in the Humber region in the UK, in the Netherlands and in southern Germany. That is fascinating, and probably unique for Uniper. (HS)
