Remunicipalisation and Foundation of Municipal Utilities in the German Energy Sector

Since the majority of network concession contracts in Germany were set to expire some time between 2005 and 2016, a window of opportunity arose in which to rebuild and remunicipalise the local energy supply. As a result, 72 new local power companies were established in Germany within just seven years.

The paper "Remunicipalisation and Foundation of Municipal Utilities in the German Energy Sector: Details about Newly Established Enterprises" provides an introduction to the topic of establishing municipal utilities in Germany. The findings were identified on the basis of a comprehensive screening of all newly established municipal utilities in Germany. The analysis provides information about regional concentration, the size of municipalities, the legal forms of the newly founded municipal public utilities, and the role of strategic partnerships. The findings show: Remunicipalisation is not a question of size; knowledge gaps may be closed by entering into close strategic partnerships.

The paper by Oliver Wagner and Kurt Berlo (both Wuppertal Institute) was published in the Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems, volume 5, issue 3. It is available for free download.