Energy Supply Business Model

Project period: 1 December 2012 to 30 November 2015

Project partners: Stadtwerke Leipzig, Leipzig University and HTWK Leipzig

As part of Bavaria and Saxony's “electromobility connects” showcase, Fraunhofer MOEZ, as Fraunhofer IMW was then called, worked on a sub-project on “street-lamp parking” and power supply business models. The objective of this sub-project was the methodical development and implementation of an energy supply business model within the context of electromobility.

To be able to serve the sales market resultant from electromobility in a profitable way, the business models of energy supply companies frequently require redevelopment or realignment. Applying a suitable methodology to systematic development allows a wide range of influences and requirements to be taken into account during the development of this business model.

To ensure that the business model developed in this way is of long-term value, future trends that may be decisive for the success of a company are anticipated. For this reason, the development process is not just based on a value chain analysis but also on the examination of various scenarios in the electromobility area. Particular attention is paid to future technology and infrastructure changes.

The project viewed electromobility as a complex system in the automotive value chain. The behavior of individual stakeholders can have a major influence on the whole system. On the basis of an analysis of the interaction between these stakeholders and of their roles within the system, different business model scenarios were developed. The scenario likely to be the most successful was then selected, and implemented in close cooperation with the collaboration partners Stadtwerke Leipzig, HTWK Leipzig University of Applied Sciences and Leipzig University.

In the course of the first work package, Fraunhofer MOEZ team analyzed the latest technology and infrastructure developments. For this purpose, the institute's researchers interviewed industry sector experts about key issues in the area of electromobility as part of a so-called Delphi study. The resultant findings are serving as a basis for the development of scenarios which illustrate the development of the electromobility value chain in order to be able to better forecast the associated future-relevant energy supply company requirements. The results have been taken into account in the actual design of the business models.