E.ON Launches New U.S. Energy Service Business

The world's largest investor-owned utility is now bringing customized asset management, maintenance, and repair services to North American renewable energy projects. E.ON, one of the largest U.S. renewable energy generators, announced that it is forming E.ON Energy Services to capture a growing and under-serviced market. The new business will leverage E.ON's global experience, turning that experience to its U.S. customer's advantage by driving more efficient and profitable renewable energy project performance.

"As we transitioned to an operations-focused company several years ago, we saw a large, growing demand for qualified service providers. Supporting project owners and investors to get more performance, efficiency, and revenues from their projects is at the core of E.ON Energy Services. We'll leverage nearly a decade of experience to offer a one-stop shop to small, mid-size, and big customers alike," said E.ON's North American chairman Patrick Woodson. "We can help customers drive project performance by providing dedicated service with an 'Owner's Eye'."

E.ON brings considerable assets to project-optimizing services:

• More than $5 billion dollars invested in North America;
• Nearly 3,000 megawatts of North American generation capacity owned, operated, or maintained by the company;
• Millions of dollars in reductions in E.ON's own operating costs;
• Operates more than 1,800 wind turbines; and
• Operates a 24/7 scheduling and dispatch center with experience in multiple RTO/ISO territories.

E.ON sees its ability to customize asset management services as key to service the fast-growing wind and solar markets.

"For more passive owners, we can perform site and Balance of Plant (BOP) management during warranty periods all the way to full asset management services. For more active owners, we can supplement current efforts on major repairs, inspections, or long-term maintenance to keep infrastructure investment costs down," said Woodson. 

The wind and solar markets continue to expand greatly in North America but there are relatively few nationally active service providers. E.ON Energy Services will provide project owners and investors with services that can:  

• Protect equipment through simple maintenance techniques that dramatically improve operating conditions;
• Save costs by retrofitting equipment when that is a more cost-effective alternative to expensive replacements; 
• Innovate technology by working with parts vendors and manufacturers on design fixes; and   
• Improve safety with pro-active solutions that can lower on-site operating risks.

"This is another example of how a robust wind and solar industry continues to create more American jobs and business investment here at home," said Woodson.