In this interview, Wattstor’s CEO Stephan Marty explains how businesses can go green and save money at the same time. He shares how the challenge of energy intermittency can actually become an opportunity — with smart energy management, battery storage, and local renewable systems. Discover how every company and community can join the clean energy revolution, simplify their transition, and take control of their energy future. Sustainability is no longer a compromise — it’s a smart business move.
Intermittency in Renewables: What It Really Means for Businesses
Is intermittency a threat to the energy transition — or could it be an opportunity?
I hear questions about intermittency all the time. Intermittency usually means fluctuation in the wholesale electricity cost. And this is all driven by having a lot of solar and a lot of wind in the system. Sometimes it’s very windy, sometimes it’s very sunny, sometimes it’s not. If it’s very windy, for example, electricity prices are low. If it’s not and not sunny, then electricity prices are high.
To dive deeper into how businesses can use price volatility to their advantage, read our article here.
Turning Variability into an Advantage
This is an inherent characteristic of a renewables-driven system that we’re getting into. It’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s actually a positive thing if you can take advantage of it, because it allows you, if you do it right, to use electricity at very low cost. There are three key elements to address this. One is energy storage. You can use energy storage: you fill it up when prices are low and then you use it instead of the grid when prices are high. Very simple.
Another way is to use electricity from the grid at the right times. Use it when there is a lot of wind and prices are low. You can do this with a smart energy system, smart energy management locally. Charge your electric vehicle when prices are low, which used to be at night, but maybe it’s during the day when it’s very sunny these days. Run your heating or your air conditioning or whatever it is when prices are low. Smart energy management can help a lot with that. And then you can do interconnection between different countries.
There’s always going to be a place in Europe where it’s going to be windy. People stop working at different times across Europe. If you have interconnection, then that helps shift those around a little bit as well. There are definitely solutions. Intermittency is an opportunity if you do it the right way and not a threat. And for businesses, the key thing they need is good advice.
The Practical Steps That Help Companies Benefit from Renewables
What do companies really need in order to succeed with renewable energy?
They need to see what the opportunities are in a simple offering. If you go into all the nitty-gritty details, it gets complicated and they’re not the experts. You need to go in with a simple offering that makes them pay less for their electricity and go green. This is possible these days.
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Why the Clean Energy Transition Works for Every Business
Can all organisations take part in the clean energy transition?
Every company can, and communities are the next step. This is very interesting as well. Every company can, every business can. Some are better suited. It’s not the same for everybody. For example, if your business has a nice roof, if you have a parking lot, if you have some land around, that will help. Then the business case will look very good for you already. Crucially, we will come in and work with you. In this new world, you need to keep it simple for customers. We come in and we work with you and find out what is the best solution for you. What is the best size? What is the best mix for you specifically?
A New Energy Model That Makes Sustainability Affordable
How important is it to help businesses decarbonise and become more sustainable?
It’s our “raison d’être”, if you want to use the French. It’s that amazing drive we talked about at the beginning — moving from a fossil-fuel-driven system to a renewables-driven system that is actually affordable.
It’s cheaper than a fossil fuel system. And of course, we save our planet, which is also quite important. It’s sustainable, and sustainability is now at the place where you don’t need to make a compromise between paying for sustainability and being green. You can do both. You can have cheaper electricity and be green at the same time.
Why This Shift Is a Game Changer for Businesses
It’s not a decision where you have to pay for it. You can do both. You can do the right thing and you can make money from it. That’s the big game changer. It’s exciting for us. It comes together, and this is what Wattstor is all about — helping companies on their way to be sustainable and electrify their operations, which is going to happen. That’s what we’re here for. You can combine a good green policy and cheaper electricity together these days. That has really changed a lot in the last ten years.
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