7th Essent Energie-Forum at Schloss Bensberg: Great Opportunities for Renewable Energies

Düsseldorf, 14 November 2008 – Germany remains an important growth market for Essent, the Netherlands' largest utility. This was one of the main messages at the 7th Essent Energie-Forum, which took place on Thursday 13 November and Friday 14 November at Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg near Cologne/Germany. Thursday evening, Essent CEO Michiel Boersma stated that his company is going to extend its activities in this market.

Essent to Expand German Activities

Alexandra van Huffelen, who took over as Managing Director of Deutsche Essent GmbH on 1 October, emphasized in her speech on Friday, that there is a considerable growth potential in the renewable energies segment. Essent Wind is already one of the leading providers of wind energy in North-Western Europe. With the “Nordsee-Ost” offshore project Essent acts as pioneer when it comes to harvesting the enormous potential at sea.
Essent sees two major tasks for the future: changing the structure of power origination and improving energy efficiency. The second topic was the main focus of the 7th Essent Energie-Forum with contributions from Prof. Dr. Peter Hennicke, former head of Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, Ralf-Otto Limbach, CEO of Vaillant heating systems, and Wal van Lierop, founder, president and CEO of Chrysalix Energy.

About Essent
Deutsche Essent GmbH, Düsseldorf, has been operating since 2000 as a holding for the German shareholdings of the greatest energy provider in the Netherlands, Essent N.V., Arn¬hem. It pursues a long-term growth strategy and holds 51 % of the shares of swb AG, Bremen. Through swb AG the company also possesses shares of the energy providers in Bremerhaven, Bielefeld, Gütersloh, Soltau, Greifswald and Ahlen. Deutsche Essent GmbH holds the majority of shares of KOM-STROM AG in Leipzig and via which it is further extending its electricity and gas activities. Furthermore, Deutsche Essent possesses a gas storage facility in Epe. With an installed capacity of around 480 megawatt Essent Wind Deutschland GmbH in Hanover is one of the leading wind energy operating companies in North West Europe.