On November 1, 2025, Klaus Heckenberger assumed leadership of Volkswind and Axpo’s Wind Division. In this interview, we talk to him about his first 100 days in office, his motivation, his view of the market, and the priorities for Volkswind in the coming years.
You’ve been Managing Director of Volkswind and Head of the Wind Division at Axpo for about 100 days now. What did you consciously focus on in the initial phase?
In the first few weeks, my main priority was to get a comprehensive picture of the company. I had many conversations, looked at workflows and processes, and tried to understand how Volkswind operates in different markets. Even though I brought many ideas with me, I consciously focused during this phase on taking a close look and listening, in order to continue working on a solid foundation.
Looking back on your first 100 days: What’s your initial assessment?
My assessment is very positive. I got to know a strong team with an open, constructive corporate culture. Volkswind also has a very solid foundation and great development potential. As an internationally active company, we operate in different market environments, each with its own framework conditions and challenges. Our goal will be to take these differences into account even more clearly, to further sharpen our organization and processes, and to strategically expand our market position in individual countries.
What motivated you to take on the role as CEO of Volkswind and Head of Axpo’s Wind Division?
I work in our industry out of deep conviction. Onshore wind is Europe’s most important source of renewable energy generation. In combination with photovoltaics and storage, the further and rapid expansion of wind energy is the basis for a complete energy supply from renewable energy sources. Axpo brings together all renewable energy generation sectors at a very professional level under one roof and thus has excellent opportunities to play a significant role in shaping the energy transition. What attracted me to Volkswind itself was leading a company that has played an important role in Europe’s energy transition for more than 30 years and has been shaping it from the very beginning. I was also motivated by the international responsibility as Head of the Wind Division at Axpo. And the fact that Volkswind is so well established in France particularly pleases me personally, because I spent a year in France at the end of my studies and therefore have special ties to the country.
What expectations did you have when taking on the role of Managing Director of Volkswind and Head of Axpo’s Wind Division?
I started with the expectation of continuing to work on a strong and proven foundation. Volkswind is a traditional company with a firm position in two important markets: This provides a very good starting point for further growth. What’s particularly interesting is the combination of the professionalism and resources of a large company like Axpo and the entrepreneurial dynamism of a mid-sized player. This mix creates the right basis for continued solid growth.
What excites you personally about renewable energies and wind energy in particular?
I’m convinced that we must move away from fossil fuels; this is a central responsibility we bear. This is of course about climate protection, but also about independence in the energy policy sense, as well as value creation and job creation in Europe. Conventional energies are increasingly bringing difficulties, while renewable energies offer future security. Onshore wind energy particularly excites me because it’s already one of the most important energy suppliers in Europe today and at the same time offers enormous additional potential.
What changes for our partners with the change in management?
For our landowners with whom we have contracts, nothing changes. In the future as well, they will of course have a reliable partner at their side with Volkswind.
How important are long-term partnerships with landowners for our corporate strategy?
They are absolutely key to success. Without trust, fairness, and reliability on both sides, wind energy projects cannot be successfully implemented. These partnerships form the foundation for any long-term project pipeline.
What makes working with Volkswind attractive for landowners?
Volkswind is an experienced and reliable wind farm developer that has realized more than 600 wind turbines in Europe. We understand our business and we understand landowners. We’re approachable, have a strong local presence, and focus on partnership-based cooperation. We don’t promise castles in the sky, but offer realistic, viable, and fair proposals. We communicate every project step clearly, offer dedicated contact persons, and use clear, proven contract models. Our standard is that landowners always know what stage the project is at and what decisions are pending. If something isn’t clear, our project team is always available.
What message would you like to give to landowners who are considering a partnership?
If you’re looking for a reliable partner who thinks long-term and develops projects fairly, you’ve come to the right place. Together we can create something that’s economically sensible and ecologically valuable. We need the land for renewable energy and involve our land partners in the planning. Volkswind has diverse experience and we know the specific requirements of the most varied types of land, whether on challenging forest areas or farmland.
The strong approval momentum of recent years is often attributed to the previous government. What do you hope for from the new government?
The designation of new areas and the acceleration of approvals were great successes that we can clearly attribute to the previous government. Now it’s important to continue thinking about the energy transition in the context of a diversified energy mix. If I had one wish for the federal government, it would be very clear: Please don’t break anything that works well. We need stability, reliability, and clear rules, not constant changes that complicate well-functioning processes again or undermine investment security. Continuity is important for the wind energy industry.
What role do battery storage systems play for Volkswind?
The combination of wind energy, photovoltaics, and battery storage is an important key to optimal utilization of grid capacities. A good example of this is our hybrid project in Bois Paillet, France, where wind energy, photovoltaics, a dedicated substation, and battery storage are currently being fully integrated and we’re gaining important practical experience in control technology. There it becomes very clear how storage takes up excess wind energy and feeds it back into the grid time-delayed, thus optimally utilizing available grid capacities.
What goals would you like to achieve in your first year as CEO?
In the first year, I mainly want to further strengthen our growth base in individual countries and align the respective country strategies even more clearly. At the same time, I want to advance our digitalization and consistently continue our existing focus on efficiency. The wind business should grow noticeably in all our core markets, both through the expansion of our project pipeline and through expansion into regions with strong potential. Another focus will be expanding direct supply of electricity to industrial customers and other large consumers from our wind turbines, especially in countries without a tariff system.
Where do you see Volkswind in five to ten years?
In five to ten years, I see Volkswind as a company that’s at least three times as large as today, measured by our project pipeline, installed capacity, and our presence in Europe. We will continue to consistently expand our core business, wind energy, and benefit even more from the know-how of our parent company Axpo. As Axpo, we can implement cross-technology solutions, whether in digital solutions, innovative operating models, or in the area of storage technologies. At the same time, we will use synergies in land acquisition much more specifically: Wind farms can be ideally combined with photovoltaics and battery storage, and we will actively drive forward exactly this hybridization.
Looking several years into the future, how would you measure your own success as Volkswind CEO?
Looking several years into the future, I would primarily measure my own success by the fact that we haven’t just achieved our goals, but exceeded them. Numbers are of course a central indicator for me. But just as important to me is that our employees are satisfied and live a strong sense of togetherness. The same applies to our partners, especially landowners. Beyond that, I want Volkswind to be positively perceived by the public – as a reliable partner, as a responsible project developer, and as an important part of the energy transition. And finally, our voice should also be heard in political work. We bear responsibility for the future of energy supply, and I want to help shape this responsibility.
