Eneco adapts organisation in response to changing market conditions
In response to changing market conditions, Eneco will adapt its organisation in order to maintain investments in sustainability and the energy transition. More focus is being brought to the business activities, with the digital transformation of the company continuing to play a crucial role.
As Tempelman, CEO of Eneco, says: 'We are going to adapt our organisation to keep the cost level acceptable, among other things through further digitisation. This is how we keep our ambitious investment programme in sustainability profitable'.
During the presentation of the annual results last June, Tempelman announced that an internal program would be started, which explores a large number of possibilities for smarter work processes at lower costs. In addition, the structure of the Dutch organization will be adjusted. Furthermore, the number of externally hired workers has been reduced since last summer and a further reduction of around 350 FTE is currently planned, to be realised by 31 March 2026. This can be expected to be largely met by natural attrition and the reduction of external hiring and temporary workers. Redundancy is prevented where possible.
The implementation of Eneco's sustainability ambition (the One Planet Plan launched in 2021, with the aim to be climate neutral by 2035) remains central to the company's strategy. In the coming years, Eneco wants to continue to invest in wind and solar farms, storage of electricity with batteries, smart charging, shore power and the development of flexible demand. This is supported by the company's ongoing digitization, including improved service and customer communication.
The changing market conditions include inflation, including the cost of materials and sharply increased wages, in addition to the impact of international geopolitical developments on the energy markets.
Recent developments in the Dutch market also play a role, such as the sharp decline in demand for heat pumps and a slowdown in the growth path for electric cars, while most new developments in heat networks have also come to a standstill. Political decision-making plays an important role in addressing the current bottlenecks, for example in stimulating the market for green hydrogen. Eneco therefore asks politicians to keep a close eye on the importance of the energy transition in the coming years.