Challenges & Problems

"Gas was negotiated directly with the individual energy suppliers. The load profiles, consumption points and consumption quantities were sent to different suppliers and final negotiations were carried out based on the results. That took about four weeks," says Holger Leschinski. The electricity purchase was similar: "In preparation, a few energy suppliers were asked for an offer and the different energy prices were painstakingly evaluated and compared. The effort was more manageable, but it also took two weeks," adds the energy buyer. He wished for faster processes and greater competition among the suppliers, because: The prices for electricity and gas are traded daily on the stock exchange. The longer the commitment periods, the fewer favourable market opportunities can be seized.