15 years of MaxSolar - Walking on Sunshine

Traunstein, 18.09.2024

The energy company MaxSolar is celebrating its 15th anniversary. In an interview with Managing Director Christoph Strasser, we look back on the most important milestones from start-up to medium-sized company and are excited to see what the future holds for renewable energies. 

Mr Strasser, congratulations on MaxSolar's 15th anniversary. Can you give us a brief insight into the history of the company? 

Christoph Strasser: Thank you very much! It's amazing how quickly time flies. MaxSolar was founded 15 years ago, on 22 June 2009, by three committed and climate-conscious private individuals in Chieming, initially to set up a ground-mounted photovoltaic project in Grabenstätt. But it didn't stop there. Further smaller projects in the commercial and private sectors followed, which led to the first expansion and a move to larger premises in Wolkersdorf in 2010. The company developed a clear vision of taking a leading role in the solar energy sector. In 2013, I joined the company as Sales Manager. At that time, we were still a young and small start-up with around 15 employees. But we had a clear goal: to develop and realise sustainable and innovative solutions in the field of renewable energy. MaxSolar now employs over 320 people, who together generate a turnover in the mid three-digit million range. 

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early years? 

Christoph Strasser: In the early years, it was indeed a major challenge to convince customers of the benefits of photovoltaics. The technology was still relatively new and its full potential was largely untapped. Many people had doubts about the profitability and reliability of solar projects. Not only did we have to overcome this general scepticism, but we also had to overcome technical hurdles, such as improving the efficiency of solar modules and integrating them into existing energy systems. 

Another significant challenge was the period from 2014 to 2016, when the industry faced a severe market slump. Many solar companies had to file for insolvency during this phase. MaxSolar, on the other hand, was able to develop at a healthy level thanks to its portfolio of proprietary systems and the solid business area of own and third-party operations management. This advantage enabled us to remain financially stable in a difficult market phase. In addition, the recruitment of qualified specialists was a challenge. It was crucial to build a team of experts who shared our vision and were ready to face the challenges of a rapidly evolving market. The industry was still in its infancy at the time and many experts first had to be convinced of the possibilities of solar energy. 

Our competitors, established energy companies that often had greater financial resources and extensive networks, also presented us with challenges. Despite all these difficulties, we stayed the course. We focussed on our vision and continuously developed innovative solutions to meet the challenges of the market. The quality of our projects and the positive feedback from our customers and business partners were crucial in building trust and laying the foundation for our continued growth. 

In order to fully capitalise on the growth opportunities in the German-speaking solar and wind market, the company's management started the search for suitable, sustainable investors in 2021. As a medium-sized Traunstein-based company, going to London and launching a European competition on the shareholder side was an atypical but courageous and correct decision. With the entry of Nature Infrastructure Capital from London and the Greenvolt Group from Portugal in spring 2022, another important component was created to become a leading company in the German market in the field of renewable energies. 

Looking back, what milestones has MaxSolar achieved in the last 15 years? 

Christoph Strasser: An important milestone was certainly the completion of our first really large ground-mounted solar park in Wachenbrunn in Thuringia in 2015. The project was more than outstanding as the largest citizen energy cooperative model. Today, the construction of large ground-mounted solar parks is one of our core businesses and core competences. This achievement marked an important milestone for us at the time. Today, we have developed enormously and build ground-mounted systems, such as the one in Bundorf, Franconia, with an impressive output of around 125 megawatts. 

In July 2018, I took over the management of the company with almost 30 employees. From the very beginning, my personal goal was to expand our core business and accelerate the company's overall growth. The entry of our investors has significantly supported this process. They have not only provided financial capital, but also valuable strategic support that has enabled us to drive forward our vision of more sustainable energy generation. We have expanded our management team to meet the increasing demands and ambitions. Today, our management team consists of four dedicated members who work together to further develop and grow MaxSolar. In addition, over 320 dedicated employees contribute to the energy transition every day. In recent years, we have significantly strengthened our market position and established successful locations in Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and Hebertsfelden in addition to our offices in Traunstein. 

The most recent significant progress was made in 2024: The founding of our subsidiary Energy Partners. This new unit was established as an independent company from MaxSolar GmbH to specifically address the needs of our industrial and commercial customers. Energy Partners pursues the goal of providing scalable energy solutions and enabling rapid access to low-cost, clean electricity: On-site generation - on-site consumption. By focusing on decentralised energy supply and innovative approaches, we want to support our customers even more efficiently and make a significant contribution to the energy transition. 

In addition to all the strategic milestones, there is much more to mention, such as our department for municipal heat planning and district heating networks, as well as the awards we have won in recent years. To summarise, we can say that these milestones have not only consolidated our position in the market, but also underline our commitment to innovation and sustainability. Continuous development and adaptation to the changing requirements of the energy market are key components of our strategy in order to remain successful in the future. 

How has the market for solar energy changed in recent years and how has MaxSolar responded to this? 

Christoph Strasser: The market for solar energy has changed considerably in recent years. The technology has become both more efficient and more cost-effective and acceptance among the general public and companies has risen sharply. These developments have opened up new opportunities, but have also brought new challenges. MaxSolar recognised these changes at an early stage and adapted its business model accordingly. We have strategically expanded our portfolio to meet the changing requirements. This includes the integration of energy storage solutions and smart grids as well as focussing on customised solutions for our customers. Our approach of covering the entire spectrum of photovoltaics - from project development and construction to operation and maintenance - has enabled us to respond flexibly to market changes and consolidate our position as a leading energy provider in the field of sector coupling. 

What does the future hold for MaxSolar? What are your plans and goals for the next few years? 

Christoph Strasser: Our plans include both strengthening our position in existing markets and expanding into new areas. A key objective is to further expand our innovative strength, particularly in the areas of energy storage, energy management and district heating. We also aim to further consolidate our role as a pioneer through strategic partnerships and collaborations. Our business model is based on three strategic pillars: Firstly, we want to become an important independent electricity producer in Germany by developing our own projects. Secondly, we are expanding our activities in the construction of solar parks for third parties in order to strengthen our position as one of the leading general contractors in the German-speaking region. Thirdly, we are focussing on the construction and operation of larger rooftop solar plants via our subsidiary Energy Partners, with the aim of establishing ourselves as the leading provider in our core markets. The coming years promise growth in the area of ground-mounted photovoltaics as well as in new areas such as wind energy, storage solutions and e-mobility. We see great potential in the combination of rooftop systems with e-mobility infrastructure and expect the importance of power purchase agreements (PPAs) to continue to grow. With our holistic energy concepts, we want to continue to be an innovative and reliable partner for our customers and make a significant contribution to the energy transition. 

In the 15 successful years of MaxSolar, do you have a special experience or story that you particularly like to remember? 

Christoph Strasser: In the 15 years of MaxSolar, there are many formative memories that particularly move me. I particularly like to think back to the many moments when we overcame challenges together as a team and celebrated significant successes and project realisations. One particularly formative memory, however, is the strategy workshop with the founders at the time, in which I formulated the goal of increasing our turnover to 100 million euros many years ago. At the time, the reaction of the founders was rather sceptical, as many considered this target to be extremely ambitious. Today, we are proud to have not only achieved this target, but far exceeded it. This experience emphasises how important it is to pursue bold visions and that determination and teamwork make extraordinary results possible. 

In conclusion: What does the company anniversary mean to you personally? 

Christoph Strasser: The company anniversary has a profound meaning for me personally. It is not only an occasion to look back on the successes and milestones of the past years, but also a moment of reflection and gratitude. It is an opportunity to recognise the achievements of everyone involved in the company and to celebrate the values that have shaped us. 

It also gives me the chance to reflect on how far we have come and how we want to develop further. Personally, the anniversary motivates me to continue to give my best and work together with my colleagues on the future of our company. However, it is important to mention that this outstanding success would not be possible without the support of my wife and family. Thank you very much for that! 

Thank you very much for the interview, Mr Strasser, and good luck for MaxSolar! 

Christoph Strasser: Thank you very much! 

About MaxSolar:  
MaxSolar is a leading provider of integrated, innovative energy solutions for businesses and communities in the renewable energy sector. Headquartered in Traunstein, the company, which was founded in 2009, now has more than 300 employees at five locations throughout Germany. MaxSolar's range of services includes the planning, construction and operation of photovoltaic and wind systems, energy storage systems, charging infrastructure and heating solutions in integrated systems. The company's current project pipeline currently comprises over 7.5 GW in various stages of development. https://www.maxsolar.com/  

Press contact:
Verena Steindl
Marketing & Communications MaxSolar GmbH 
Tel.: +49 861 21396 621 
E-Mail: verena.steindl(at)maxsolar.de