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Success Factors for the Foundation of Municipal Utilities in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Wagner

    (Research Group Energy, Transport and Climate Policy, Wuppertal Institute, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany)

  • Kurt Berlo

    (Research Group Energy, Transport and Climate Policy, Wuppertal Institute, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany)

  • Christian Herr

    (Managing Director of the Municipal Office for Waste Disposal, Street Cleaning and Vehicle Fleet in Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany)

  • Michael Companie

    (Manager at Plenum AG BLUBERRIES GmbH, 81541 Munich, Germany)

Abstract

More than 150 municipal utilities (so-called Stadtwerke) were established in Germany from the beginning of the millennium, bringing the total number of Stadtwerke currently established within the country to approximately 900. With responsibility for more than half of the supply of electricity, gas and heat in Germany, these Stadtwerke play a central role in the transformation of the energy sector, or Energiewende. In addition, due to their local and regional ties, Stadtwerke have a particular role to play in energy politics, the economy and across society. This article focuses on the motives behind, and grounds for, the current wave of newly established Stadtwerke. Further, it discusses the factors that were critical to the successful formation of new Stadtwerke in recent years. The results of our survey indicate that the establishment of municipal Stadtwerke is a suitable measure to implement the energy transition at the local level, whereby the concept of public value has a high level of importance for the local decision-makers. Collaboration and cooperation, as well as a resilience-oriented strategy, are important success factors for new Stadtwerke.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Wagner & Kurt Berlo & Christian Herr & Michael Companie, 2021. "Success Factors for the Foundation of Municipal Utilities in Germany," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:4:p:981-:d:498631
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hess, David J. & Jordan, Megan L., 2023. "Demunicipalization as political process: Strategic action and the sale of municipal electric utilities in the United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Tomasz Jedynak & Krzysztof Wąsowicz, 2021. "The Relationship between Efficiency and Quality of Municipally Owned Corporations: Evidence from Local Public Transport and Waste Management in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-30, August.

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