Volatile energy markets
Published on 25 January 2024

Due to the uncertain situation in Europe and the widespread speculation on the exchanges, the energy market remains turbulent at the beginning of 2024. As a company in an energy-intensive industry, Roth is heavily impacted by energy prices. The company is therefore pursuing various strategies to reduce its dependence on the electricity market.

As a large consumer, we can procure our electricity on the open market. In recent years, however, this freedom has been accompanied by one thing in particular: great uncertainty. The reasons for this are manifold, ranging from the Covid pandemic to geopolitical tensions and the energy crisis. At the same time, speculation on energy exchanges, as well as unclear and evolving energy policies of European countries, have also had a destabilising effect on electricity prices.

Unreliable forecasts

Not only do electricity prices fluctuate significantly, but the forecasts for price trends are also anything but consistent. The complexity of the electricity market and the many uncertainties are making it increasingly difficult to obtain reliable predictions of how the market will develop. Procuring cost-effective electricity therefore involves a certain element of luck.

More independence

Our aim is to minimise our dependence on the electricity market. To achieve this, we pursue a dual strategy. On the one hand, we attach great importance to high energy efficiency. In the area of production, the greatest potential for increasing efficiency lies in the electricity consumption of our machinery. When procuring machines, we pay close attention to how energy-efficient they are. In our operations, we always switch off machines or put them in standby mode when they are not being used. On the other hand, we generate a portion of our electricity from our own photovoltaic system. The 500 high performance modules on the roofs of our three buildings produce approximately 200 MWh of solar power per year.

In addition to making us less reliant on the electricity market, our dual energy strategy also means greater security of supply and less financial risk. This approach benefits not only our company but also our customers and the environment.

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