Stadtwerke Krefeld conquers records: 2.4 billion euros in sales in 2024!

Stadtwerke Krefeld conquers records: 2.4 billion euros in sales in 2024!

Stadtwerke Krefeld (SWK) can look back on an all-round successful year 2024. The good news includes sales of around 2.4 billion euros, which forms the basis for an annual profit of around 49 million euros, which is the second highest profit in the company's history. The municipal utilities confirm this in a current report on Welleniederrhein.de.

But despite this positive balance, the SWK also has to face the challenges of the energy market. Falling customer numbers are causing problems for municipal utilities, and the necessary energy and heat transition requires significantly higher investments. The Krefeld municipal utilities are facing some challenges, which are not only financial, but also in the planning and implementation of the services offered.

Outlook for the future

As the PwC study shows, municipal utilities are faced with the task of redefining their strategic orientations. The operational implementation must take place in specific fields of action, which requires an adjustment of the business models. At the beginning, quickly implementable measures are taken in the area of ​​commodity management, followed by the development of innovative products and solutions. The pressure on energy supply companies (EVU) is further increased by rising futures market prices and the gas crisis.

The demand for sustainable solutions such as photovoltaic systems, electromobility and electricity-based self-sufficiency concepts is growing continuously. Not only does decarbonization play a role, but also government subsidies, such as for heat pumps, which are becoming increasingly important.

Heat transition: municipalities have a duty

However, the major challenges are not just the responsibility of the municipal utilities. A current study by the Competence Center for Public Economy, Infrastructure and Public Services (KOWID) at the University of Leipzig shows that local actors are also required. Their goal is a climate-neutral heat supply by 2045. This is supported by the switch to efficient heating networks, which, however, entail high costs. Estimated costs of around 520 million euros were calculated for municipal heat planning up to 2028, with the federal government also helping with 500 million euros.

Smaller municipalities in particular find it more difficult to manage the heating transition because there is often a lack of human resources. The “convoy process” could offer a solution here, in which municipalities pool their resources to overcome the challenges together. However, the municipal utilities are faced with high investment costs that are not mitigated by connectivity payments. Overall, a financial framework of around 10.8 billion euros is estimated for the implementation of municipal heat planning.

The investments in the energy transition are therefore undeniably high. The Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) has estimated the demand at 721 billion euros by 2030 and even 1.2 trillion euros by 2035. The main focus is on renewing power generation and the necessary infrastructure to meet future challenges.

In summary, it can be said that Stadtwerke Krefeld and all municipal energy suppliers face a rocky but necessary path to ensure a sustainable and future-proof energy supply.