Strong growth again for Austrian wind power pioneer | Capacity increase ensures production record | Corporate bond and strengthening environment promote growth
Pfaffenschlag (OTS) – Despite the historically weakest wind year in the company’s history, WEB Windenergie AG (WEB) managed to set a new production record in 2022 with 1,312 GWh (2021: 1,237 GWh). The reason for this is the capacity expansion by 52.4 MW to 596.1 MW as of December 31, 2022. Revenues increased to EUR 174.1 million (2021: EUR 113.6 million), also due to the increase in electricity prices , the consolidated result increased to EUR 29.7 million (2021: EUR 17.1 million).
CEO Frank Dumeier: “2022 was a crucial year for WEB, and not just because we were able to report record production, sales and earnings. But above all because the realization has finally prevailed that our future depends on the rapid and widespread expansion of renewable energies. Encouraged by this new mindset, we are driving the energy transition forward with our strong growth offensive.”
Strong increase in capacity
Three projects in particular were responsible for the expansion of the WEB power plant park in 2022 by 52.4 MW: In Austria, the wind farms Matzen-Klein-Harras (12.6 MW) and Spannberg (16.8 MW) went into operation, in the USA the Wind farm Silver Maple with 20.0 MW. In addition to the main business of wind energy, solar energy is also becoming an increasingly important growth area for WEB in the current photovoltaic boom: in 2022, nine photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of more than 3 MW went into operation. They were built at the locations of industrial and commercial partners in order to increase their self-sufficiency.
Frank Dumeier: “We are on a dynamic growth course. With 111 projects and a total generation capacity of more than 3,000 MW, we have expanded our project pipeline in 2022 more than ever before. We currently have more than 170 MW under construction at WEB with an investment volume of almost 200 MEUR, which should go into operation this year and in 2024.”
Energy crisis accelerates energy transition
The energy crisis resulting from the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has not only created a new mindset for renewable energy among the general public. It is also accelerating the decarbonization of industry that began earlier as companies recognized the economic potential of wind and solar power.
CFO Michael Trcka: “We at WEB have known for a long time that renewable energy pays off ecologically and economically. In 2022, this insight prevailed on a broad basis. In Europe, many companies have now understood that renewable energy is the only chance to survive on the world market. The demand is correspondingly high, especially for photovoltaic systems. As a result, this area is becoming more and more important to us alongside wind power.”
Record for “Green Investment” in the WEB
In line with the successful development of the company and the good prospects for renewable energy, investors are also showing increasing interest in WEB: The monthly average price of WEB shares traded over the counter in the trade room (www.traderoom.at) rose sharply from around EUR 160 in January to around EUR 191 in December. At the same time, the number of shareholders increased by more than 700 in 2022 – this is also a record number outside of capital increases. The WEB bond 2023 with a subscription volume of more than EUR 30 million recently set another record. The final subscription result is not yet available, it will only be published on the issue date of the bond, April 19, 2023.
CFO Michael Trcka: “The great interest shown by investors in our share and our most recent bond shows the attractiveness of the ‘green investment’ we offer and proves the urgency of the energy transition. At the same time, it confirms our path and gives us, as WEB, a strong tailwind for our further growth course in the wind power and photovoltaic sector.”
To the Online Annual Report 2022: web.energy/bericht
Questions & contact:
DI Beate Zöchmeister, MAS, Head of Communications and Investor Relations
beate.zoechmeister@web.energy
Tel.: +43 (0)2848 6336–19; Car: +43 664 962 70 04
Davidstrasse 1, 3834 Pfaffenschlag
www.web.energy