Volker Klinkert becomes third Managing Director of VNG subsidiary BALANCE
From January 1, 2023, the wholly owned VNG subsidiary BALANCE Erneuerbare Energien GmbH (BALANCE), will have a third Managing Director. Volker Klinkert will join Thomas Fritsch (Managing Director for Business Development) and Friedrich Nollau (Commercial Managing Director) as the Managing Director responsible for the operation of BALANCE’s 39 biogas facilities.
The 52-year old electrical engineer has played an active role in the company’s growth from the moment he joined BALANCE in 2007. As part of his most recent role as regional manager, he was responsible for the biogas facilities in the South region.
“BALANCE has seen a lot of growth in recent years and is a player in an extremely dynamic market. This means that the operational side of the business is extremely complex. That's why we decided that our biogas subsidiary should be managed by a trio going forwards,” explained VNG Board Member Hans-Joachim Polk.
The green gases biogas and biomethane represent an important growth area in the Group’s VNG 2030+ strategy. Since 2006, BALANCE has offered a varied portfolio in the production of biogas, biomethane, renewable heat and renewable electricity. In line with its ambitious growth strategy, BALANCE operates 39 biogas facilities in northern and eastern Germany with a total installed capacity of around 165 MWRTO. This enables BALANCE to supply around 50,000 households with renewable electricity and more than 53,000 households with green gas every year.
“Volker Klinkert provides the perfect combination of expertise and experience in the biogas segment to round out BALANCE’s management team and expand our offering of needs-based and climate-friendly biogas. We have ambitious plans for BALANCE. Over the next few years, we will acquire additional facilities over the next few years, build new facilities and expand our existing facilities,“ continued Polk.
BALANCE is one of the leading operators of biogas plants in Germany. The company was founded in 2006 and currently operates 42 biogas facilities in Northern and Eastern Germany with a total rated thermal output of approx.192 MWFTC. BALANCE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leipzig-based VNG AG, a Group specialising in gas and gas infrastructure with over 20 companies operating throughout Europe. It supplies approximately 123,000 households with climate-friendly energy. More at www.balance-vng.de.
VNG is a group of over 20 companies active in the European energy industry, employing about 1,700 people. As a gas importer and wholesaler as well as an operator of critical gas infrastructure, the Group, which is headquartered in Leipzig, is central to the secure supply of gas in Germany. With the “VNG 2030+” strategy, VNG is also pursuing an ambitious path for a market ramp-up of renewable and decarbonised gases such as biogas and hydrogen, paving the way for a sustainable, secure supply and, in the long term, climate-neutral energy system of the future.
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Volker Klinkert as the new managing director for plant operations at BALANCE Enerneuerbare Energien GmbH. (Photo: Torsten Pross, Jeibmann Photografik)
