Page 154 - KELAG Annual Report 2017

Despite the uncertainties inherent in the legal
requirements relating to the energy industry and the
aforementioned overarching trends and influencing factors,
we will continue to pursue our strategy of value-based
growth and innovation in a targeted manner. A diversified
business portfolio remains the essential basis of our stable
financial and earnings power, enabling us to continue our
long-term investment programme in accordance with clear
return and risk criteria. We have budgeted around
The European energy industry has been going through a EUR 135m for new construction and maintenance projects
process of far-reaching transformation for many years due for the financial year 2018. The focus will remain on
to intervention in market mechanisms by governments and hydroelectric and wind power projects, biomass projects in
authorities. This change was mainly driven by Germany’s the heating sector and the modernisation of grid
exit from nuclear power and the unforeseen speed of infrastructure.
additions to renewable energy capacity. Particularly in
Germany and Austria, the new energy concept has led to
economic disruptions in the individual value added stages
of energy supply companies. Due above all to the further
unabated expansion of new production capacities for
As an innovative energy service provider, we provide
renewables, we do not expect wholesale prices to recover
attractive offerings for our customers and consistently
sustainably over the short or medium term.
enhance our product and services portfolio. New
technologies and changed customer requirements relating
The overarching trends in the energy industry in the
to energy are major drivers of product innovation. In our
financial year 2017 can still be described with the keywords
sales drive, we continue to press ahead with the expansion
decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation.
of collaborations on sales activities throughout Austria and
Moreover, energy supply companies are faced with direct
are placing greater emphasis on online offers. The
economic influencing factors such as the continuously high
continuous further development of Internet self-services
level of competition, a feeble recovery in wholesale prices
allows customers to manage a variety of matters
and overregulation. Building on our value-based growth
independently via a PC, smartphone or tablet.
and innovation strategy based on renewable energies as
well as with a focus on energy efficiency, we continued our
According to the slogan “The future is green, digital and
group-wide “kelag2025 – Wir gestalten Zukunft”
electric!”, KELAG launched the initiative “Carinthia’s energy
(kelag2020 – We are shaping the future) development
future” in October 2017. As part of this initiative, KELAG
project in a targeted manner in the financial year 2017 to
offers retail and business customers as well as
futureproof our business going forward. The focus of our
municipalities attractive financial assistance for innovative
business activity is on the improvement of our performance
products from the areas of e-mobility, photovoltaics,
and innovation culture, cost management and business
Telekom broadband services, SmartHome and energy
process optimisation, active sales including product
management. The objective of the product campaign is to
differentiation as well as innovation management.
support the customer in switching to innovative, energy-
efficient products and applications to lay an important