Innovation through tradition

Change in the energy industry has to be driven by innovation. But this does not mean traditional hydropower is obsolete. On the contrary: it is the reliable motor that helps make innovation possible in the first place.

Sales

In 2014, subsidiary Repower Vendita Italia S.p.A. sold 3.4 terawatt hours of electricity to around 22,000 customers. That is 2.3 per cent less than the previous year. Sales of gas to 10,000 end-customers came to 223 million cubic metres (up 7%). On both the electricity and gas side, Repower focuses on selling to small and medium-sized enterprises and the public sector, accounting for four per cent of the electricity supplied to this segment and 3.6 per cent of the gas.

Repower is positioned in Italy as a quality-conscious supplier with high standards of customer service. To assure personal, individual service, the company has 500 sales consultants working all over the country who serve as a direct point of contact for the customer. Repower holds regular training days to keep consultants up to speed on products, services and market trends. Thanks to these events, Repower's network of sales consultants has a reputation in the market for professionalism.

In addition to classic electricity and gas supply arrangements, Repower's product portfolio also includes innovative combined offerings. Launched in 2012, Verde Dentro has become firmly established in the marketplace, with around 870 customers already taking advantage of a package covering electric mobility services in tandem with electricity from 100 per cent renewable resources. Depending on what the customer chooses, Verde Dentro includes delivery of an electric bike, scooter or car. Customers have many options in terms of how they deploy the vehicle. Some choose to use it as a company car for personal use or make it available to their staff, while other customers in hotels or tourism provide the vehicle free to their guests. Verde Dentro is also a great communications platform for companies that want to market themselves as environmentally friendly, not just in terms of energy, but in terms of transport and mobility. For this reason Repower gives customers the option of personalising their electric vehicles, helping them position themselves as a green business.

To help make it even more efficient for Verde Dentro customers to charge their electric vehicles, at the beginning of 2015 Repower signed an agreement with Italian energy provider A2A that enables Repower customers to now also charge their vehicle at A2A's stations. This gives them greater flexibility and convenience thanks to a more extensive network of charging points.

Palina is the name of the elegant electric vehicle charging station developed by Repower Italy in collaboration with ABB. There are already 100 of these “filling stations” installed all over Italy. In addition to its technical functionality, Palina has made a name for itself in Italy as a striking feature in the urban landscape. The gratifying response to Palina has inspired Repower to launch Palina 2.0, a second, even more efficient version that will enable vehicles to be recharged more quickly. It is due to appear before the end of 2015. After the positive experience in Italy, Repower has now also introduced Palina in Switzerland as part of efforts to set up a charging infrastructure in Canton Graubünden.

A new addition to Repower's offering is Staffetta. Customers who choose this tariff get their energy at a fixed price for the first six months, after which they pay a variable price pegged to prices on the Italian energy exchange. The scheme is geared to relatively price-conscious customers who are nevertheless willing to take certain risks. The first reactions to the new offering have been very positive, particularly during the 2014 autumn campaign.