(Interview from 2012)

Dagmar Möbius

Two idealistic young industrial engineers from Dresden wanted to shake up the traditional energy supply market.

As that was an (overly) ambitious goal, they founded their own company in 2011, where TU Dresden (TUD) graduate Mandy Bauer also works. jeda energie is a green electricity provider and independent of major corporations and municipal utilities firms. Not bad.

David Saige came to TUD from the Black Forest to study industrial engineering. He specialized in energy economics and energy technology. As an engineer, he was interested in gas and steam turbines as well as renewable power plants. A job at an engineering company in Australia gave the graduate some important insights. "When I was servicing turbines in coal and gas-fired power plants, the thing that stuck in my mind was the enormous amount of dirt that is created when coal is burned." This technology could not have a future. Not as David Saige saw things. "Especially as renewable energy is already available as an alternative," says the 29-year-old.

The situation was similar for Jens Wagner. He also studied industrial engineering at TUD, specializing in energy and environmental technology. "Somehow, it was all very exciting," he says, looking back. Including the psychology and philosophy classes he also attended. And after graduation? "Full of ideas and all I had learned, I wanted to make the world a better place, or at least make a difference," smiles Wagner, who comes from Berlin. Approach number 1, "go to a major energy supplier and shake things up from the inside," failed. So, it was time to roll up their sleeves and tackle things themselves. Being their own bosses appealed to both of them anyway.

Alternatives for achieving the energy transition

jeda energie was set up in 2011. The name is made up the first two letters of the names Jens and David. The association with "für jeden da" – there for everyone – is intentional. And if jeda makes someone think of Star Wars, Jens Wagner doesn't think that's a bad thing either, although the young entrepreneurs' focus is firmly on the needs of their customers. What should an electricity provider be like? That is a question they ask themselves all the time. They welcome questions, requests, and suggestions from customers. Their main motivation is, however, to help shape the changing energy landscape and move a step closer to an entirely renewable electricity supply. Both believe this is an absolute necessity, and not just for environmental reasons. "To me, the question is why people are fighting over scarce fossil energy sources when there are alternatives," says Jens Wagner. He argues that with coal, oil, and gas reserves set to run out in the foreseeable future, it makes sense to switch to alternatives as soon as possible. A crazy project? Perhaps. "Yet even small changes can play their part in the success of the energy transition," Jens Wagner is convinced. His co-founder David Saige raises another interesting point: "Often, there's not a lack of technical solutions, but of companies that are turning those new solutions into products that people will then want." In his view, that is the only way to change people's behavior.

Unique selling point: the smart green electricity meter

The young entrepreneurs at jeda energie want to build on this trend, expanding renewable energy more quickly, consistently driving technical developments, and using them to create attractive products for customers. At the moment, in addition to their existing two green electricity (hydropower) products, the key here is the smart green electricity meter. The environmental enthusiasts are the only green electricity provider in Germany to have taught a smart meter to measure green electricity. Smart meters in themselves are nothing new, but most are only offered in combination with coal or nuclear power. "The smart green meter measures and stores current electricity consumption," explains David Saige. Customers don't have to read their consumption off the meter; they can use a computer or smartphone to check in a matter of seconds how much electricity is being used and how much they have consumed over recent weeks and months. This allows them to identify – and switch off – power-guzzling devices.

The major power companies have yet to respond directly to jeda energie. However, there have been positive reactions from the sector. "Many people think it's good that changes are happening in the energy industry, and that we're putting renewable energy back on the agenda," says a pleased Jens Wagner. His three-person team works with a number of freelancers.

Shaking things up? Nowadays, jeda energie does that a little differently. By harnessing the alternatives.

Contact details:

jeda energie GmbH
Dipl. Wirtsch.-Ing. Jens Wagner
Dipl. Wirtsch.-Ing. David Saige
Chemnitzer Straße 48b
01187 Dresden
Telefon: 0351 46677113

E-Mail: Jens Wagner

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