Alexander Vogt, Head of Energy-as-aService and technology at LichtBlick SE, has been a driving force in advancing energy solutions for homeowners. Through his strategic insight and expertise in environmental matters, he leads initiatives that reshape the energy landscape, forging new paths for venture development.
In an interview with Energy Business Review Europe, Vogt shares their valuable insights into adopting new technologies and innovations to transform the energy sector, with a strong focus on sustainability and efficiency.
Can you provide a brief overview of your professional background and career progression in the industry?
My background is in mechatronics engineering and I have always been interested in sustainability and energybased solutions. I started my career in the home appliance industry, where I worked on connecting home appliances to the internet. One of the use cases I worked on involved controlling a washing machines using solar roof energy production. My expertise lies in smart home and IoT.
Later, I shifted to the energy industry and held positions in the venturing and innovation space. I worked with startups, scouting for new solutions and emerging technologies for the B2B building sector, focusing on energy management in commercial buildings.
Since joining LichtBlick two years ago, I have led the energy as a service business unit. I combined my experience in buildings and IoT to develop smart energy solutions for homeowners in the form of home energy management services.
What challenges do you encounter when implementing renewable energy in businesses?
One of the most significant challenges we face is the digitization of power appliances. The systems we use in our buildings, whether commercial or residential, are often not smart or interconnected, limiting energy efficiency and sharing opportunities. This creates a significant gap, mainly in the building sector, where outdated energy supplies like gas heating are still common.
My suggestion is to fully embrace innovation in this space and be bold in transforming legacy practices
Achieving climate neutrality requires extensive integration of renewable and intelligent energy solutions across buildings, a journey crucial in Europe, especially in Germany.
Which industry trends are you most excited about and would like to incorporate into your practice?
We are targeting our energy–as-a-service business towards homeowners in Germany. One major challenge we face is the untapped potential within approximately 16 million homes. Out of these, 11 million homes have the potential for solar roofs, but according to our prosumer index research, only 2 million of them have applied for it, indicating a long way to go in equipping homes with solar roofs.
A crucial aspect of our initiative is our focus on integrated and smart energy solutions that cater to the evolving needs and demands of our customers. By integrating these, we can transform homeowners into prosumers — individuals who both produce and consume energy — enabling improved energy efficiency.
Our energy as a service business offers home energy batteries that can be effortlessly integrated into the grid, offering flexibility with energy production, which we call the flex potential. It is important to note that the trend is driven by the demands of our customers as well as regulations such as the EU’s initiative about energy-sharing communities.
We aim to tap into the megatrend of decentralization and democratization of energy with our energy as a service business at LichtBlick.
Can you share an overview of a recent project you’ve been involved?
Our website has detailed information on solar solutions for homeowners, including a newly launched product called StromWallet. This innovative product is designed to meet our customers’ needs by enabling them to participate in the flexibility market and save more on energy costs than with regular systems.
By using dynamic tariffs, customers can benefit from market price fluctuations, similar to investing in stocks. We act as the customer’s former manager, strategically purchasing electricity during optimal market times in 15-minute intervals. This brand new and unique product on the market is a super convenient and intelligent system that can handle everything autonomously, resulting in lower monthly electricity bills.
In a nutshell, our StromWallet product is helping customers attain climate neutrality and save more money compared to standard PV systems.
What is your sage advice to budding professionals and newcomers in the renewable energy sector?
In the energy sector, there is a prevailing perception of being old-fashioned and resistant to change when viewed from an external perspective. This is often tied to politics and government influences, reflecting an era characterized by big power plants and long innovation cycles. However, my advice to young professionals working on innovative solutions in renewable space is that the time for change is now. We have a pressing need to save our planet and embrace new technologies. My suggestion is to fully embrace innovation in this space and be bold in transforming legacy practices.
