Bremen, 31 March 2022 - In the 2021 financial year, Energiekontor (ISIN DE0005313506, General Standard) achieved the best result in the company's thirty-year history. As a result of the company's successful operating performance, Energiekontor's 2021 annual report published today, shows sales of around EUR 156.5 million (2020: EUR 146.6m) and total operating performance of around EUR 266.3 million (2020: EUR 165.1m). The result from ordinary activities (EBT) was subsequently increased by more than EUR 13 million to around EUR 44.9 million (2020: EUR 31.2m), which is even slightly above expectations. Consolidated earnings for the year reached EUR 36.2 million (2020: EUR 20.4m). Undiluted earnings per share increased to EUR 2.54 (2020: EUR 1.43). At the Annual General Meeting on 19 May 2022, the Management Board and Supervisory Board will propose an increased dividend of EUR 0.90 (2020: EUR 0.80).
Peter Szabo, CEO of Energiekontor AG, on the 2021 annual result: "The 2021 annual result is the best in our company's history. The fact that we have managed to achieve this despite the continuing adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic shows the high resilience of our business model and the very good strategic positioning of Energiekontor. In 2021, we have reached almost all of our corporate milestones. We want our shareholders to participate appropriately in this with the highest dividend since our IPO. For the current 2022 financial year, we are optimistic that we will strengthen and continue our growth path, even though market uncertainties and risks have increased overall, not least due to the war in Ukraine."
Strong result in 2021 in the segment “Project Development and Sales (Wind, Solar)”
In the 2021 financial year, sales agreements were successfully concluded for a total of seven wind park projects in Germany and the UK as well as for two solar park projects in Germany with a total generation capacity of around 117 MW (2020: 44 MW). As planned, five wind and solar park projects with a total generation capacity of around 66 MW were commissioned in the reporting period.
The sale of two Scottish projects (63 MW) marked the successful start of the gradual realisation of the strong Scottish project pipeline that Energiekontor has built up and expanded in recent years.
Total generation capacity of Group-owned wind and solar parks increased to some 330 MW - Raising hidden reserves
With the completion and transfer of two wind farms with a total generation capacity of almost 50 MW, the expansion of the wind and solar farms in own operation was continued as planned in the 2021 financial year. Overall, the generation capacity in the own portfolio thus increased to almost 330 MW. As part of Energiekontor's organic growth model, the expansion of the Company's own park portfolio is essential for increasing the financial resources that will be available for the Company's project development in the future.
The transfer of the two wind farms to the Company's own portfolio in the 2021 financial year was carried out as usual at pure production costs. As a result, the hidden reserves held in the Energiekontor Group increased, as the Group's own wind and solar parks could in principle be sold and realised at any time at their actual market values.
Project pipeline increased to over 7.7 GW – share of solar increased as planned
In the 2021 financial year, the valuable project pipeline was successfully expanded by around 1.5 GW to over 7.7 GW (previous year 6.0 GW) compared to the previous year. Including the project rights secured in the US market, the project pipeline even increased to over 8.5 GW (previous year: 6.9 GW). Growth was recorded in almost all of the different phases of project development as well as in the addressed country markets. Diversification by technology was also expanded as planned. Solar projects make up around one quarter of all projects.
Optimistic outlook for 2022: Continuation of the growth path
For the current financial year 2022, the Management Board is optimistic that Energiekontor will be able to steady and continue its growth path. Nevertheless, market uncertainties and risks have increased, not least due to the war in Ukraine, whose effects on the renewable energy sector and Energiekontor cannot yet be precisely assessed. Although Energiekontor has no business activities in either Russia or Ukraine, the military conflict has caused raw material prices to rise sharply, resulting in price increases by manufacturers of wind turbines, modules and components. At the same time, existing bottlenecks in the global transport and supply chains are deteriorating further and are leading to longer delivery times, which will make it more difficult to reach scheduled commissioning of some projects prior to the end of 2022.
In the medium to long term, however, the prospects for the renewable energy sector have improved significantly worldwide. In all regional markets where Energiekontor is present, the expansion of renewable energies is to be stepped up significantly in the coming years and existing obstacles shall be removed. In addition to climate policy goals, the achievement of independence from fossil fuels has become more crucial.
The annual report 2021 can be viewed or downloaded from Energiekontor's website at www.energiekontor.de/en/investor-relations/financial-reports
About Energiekontor AG:
A solid business policy and a lot of experience in renewable energies: This is what Energiekontor has stood for over 30 years. Founded in Bremerhaven in 1990, the Company is one of the pioneers in the industry and is now one of Germany's leading project developers. Its core business ranges from the planning and construction to the operational management of wind farms in Germany and abroad and was expanded in 2010 to include solar energy. In addition, Energiekontor operates wind and solar farms with a nominal output of around 330 megawatts in its own portfolio. Energiekontor AG also aims to play a pioneering role in economic terms and to realise the first wind and solar parks in all target markets at market prices as quickly as possible, independently of state subsidies.
In addition to its headquarters in Bremen, Energiekontor has offices in Bremerhaven, Hagen im Bremischen, Aachen, Augsburg, Bernau near Berlin, Potsdam, Berlin-Spandau and Hildesheim. The Company also has offices in England (Leeds), Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow), Portugal (Lisbon), USA (Houston/Texas and Rapid City/South Dakota) and France (Toulouse, Rouen).
The proud record of accomplishment since the Company was founded: 130 realised wind farms and 12 solar farms with a total output of well over 1 gigawatt. This corresponds to an investment volume of approx. EUR 1.8 billion.
The Company went public on 25 May 2000. The Energiekontor AG share (WKN 531350 / ISIN DE0005313506) is listed in the General Standard of the German Stock Exchange in Frankfurt and can be traded on all German stock exchanges.
Contact:
Head of Investor Relations
Till Gießmann
Phone: +49 421 3304-126
E-mail: till.giessmann@energiekontor.com
www.energiekontor.de