WIRTSCHAFT UND INFRASTRUKTUR GMBH & CO PLANUNGS KG

Their core work

WIP is a Munich-based energy consultancy specialized in bridging the gap between renewable energy research and market deployment. They design market uptake strategies, financing schemes (especially crowdfunding and citizen investment), and policy roadmaps for clean energy technologies across Europe. Their core strength is coordination — running Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) that bring together technology developers, policymakers, and communities to accelerate energy transition. They do not develop technology themselves; they ensure technologies reach the market by tackling the non-technical barriers: business models, public acceptance, regulatory frameworks, and investment mobilization.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015-2018, WIP focused on foundational market challenges: industrial electricity flexibility (IndustRE), crowdfunding mechanisms (CrowdFundRES), and public acceptance of renewables — essentially proving that citizen engagement and innovative financing could work. From 2019 onward, their focus matured toward policy implementation (SET-Plan, coal transition via TRACER), cooperative energy models (SocialRES, CitizEE), and geographic expansion into hydropower for developing countries (HYPOSO). The shift shows a consultancy moving from "how do we get people to accept renewables" to "how do we scale proven models across regions and policy frameworks."

WIP is moving toward energy transition governance — coal region strategies, cooperative investment at scale, and exporting European energy models to developing countries.

How they like to work

WIP is a natural consortium leader, coordinating 17 of their 37 projects — a remarkably high ratio for an SME. With 357 unique partners across 47 countries, they operate as a network hub rather than a loyal-partner organization, assembling different consortia for each thematic area. Their dominance in CSA projects (28 of 37) means they typically handle dissemination, market analysis, and coordination work packages — making them a reliable partner for technology-focused organizations that need someone to handle the "route to market" side.

An exceptionally well-connected SME with 357 unique consortium partners spanning 47 countries — one of the broadest networks among energy consultancies in H2020. Strong ties across Western Europe with growing connections to Eastern European coal regions and developing countries in Latin America and Africa.

What sets them apart

WIP occupies a rare niche: a small private consultancy that consistently wins coordination roles in EU energy projects, outperforming much larger organizations in proposal success. Their specialization in the non-technical side of energy transition — financing, public acceptance, policy roadmaps — makes them the go-to partner when a consortium has strong technology but needs market strategy. Few SMEs can match their combination of 47-country reach, CSA expertise, and track record of managing complex multi-partner projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ETIP PV - SEC II
  Their largest project (€590K) coordinating the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Photovoltaics — direct influence on EU SET-Plan implementation for solar energy
• HYPOSO
  Coordinated €342K project exporting European hydropower expertise to five developing countries (Bolivia, Cameroon, Colombia, Ecuador, Uganda) — signals geographic expansion beyond Europe
• TRACER
  Coordinated coal transition strategies for intensive regions, combining energy policy with industrial roadmaps and social re-skilling — a politically sensitive and high-impact topic