Energyfamily offers a web platform that simplifies the establishment, management, and billing of energy communities.
Energy communities are collaborative networks or groups of individuals, businesses, or organizations that come together to generate, consume, and share energy resources. They aim to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability within a localized or specific area. Members of an energy community can collectively produce renewable energy (such as solar or wind power) and share it among themselves, reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources. Energy communities encourage community engagement, self-sufficiency, and the democratization of energy, fostering a sense of ownership and participation in the energy transition. Energy communities are made possible by EU-regulations. Austria is one of the first countries which implemented these regulations into national law.
Interview with Doris Oberleiter, Marketing & Communication Manager at EnergyFamily.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the organization and its activities.
Doris Oberleiter: Our startup Energyfamily aims to make energy communities simple, dynamic, transparent, flexible, and intuitive. With our platform, members of an energy community can increase their energy efficiency by distributing and sharing energy within the community. Additionally, we optimize energy usage through an innovative satellite-based predictive energy management system that balances the mismatch between production and consumption curves of solar power. Our goal is to promote sustainability, conserve resources, strengthen communities, and enable affordable and stable energy prices.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the organization?
D.O: Our main areas of activity include:
- Development and operation of a web-based platform for energy community management.
- Provision of a satellite-based predictive energy management system to optimize energy usage.
- Support for the establishment and management of energy communities through an innovative checklist and templates for association management.
- Provision of a marketplace that offers information, documents, and templates in one place and includes a strong network of partners from relevant sectors.
- Provision of an online tool for simulating energy communities to support their planning and growth.
- Collaboration with white-label partners such as energy suppliers, energy consultants, wallbox producers, and installers to make the platform available to their customers.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
D.O: The year 2023 started with record electricity prices. Therefor the energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation as sustainability and decentralized energy generation become increasingly important. In line with these trends, energy communities are gaining significance. Consumers are seeking ways to increase their energy efficiency, utilize renewable energy, and reduce costs. Our platform addresses these needs by facilitating the formation and management of energy communities and offering satellite-based predictive energy management to optimize energy usage.
The market for energy communities is growing steadily, and we are witnessing a growing interest from individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, communities, and public institutions to embrace this form of the sharing economy. With our scalability and collaboration with white-label partners, we are well-positioned to capitalize on this market trend. Once the regulations are implemented in other European countries our goal is also to expand our business.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the second half of 2023?
D.O: In the second half of 2023 we will focus on spreading the word about energyfamily.at, expand our web platform and continue working on our satellite based predictive energy management system. We estimate that the acceptance and interest in energy communities will keep on growing and the market will get bigger. Our goal is to make the world a better place with the help of energy communities!