Strategy
The SEFE Group enhanced its Group-wide strategy in the 2025 financial year and aligned it consistently with the changing European and global energy markets. The goal remains to ensure competitiveness and the security of supply, support the decarbonisation of the economy and customers’ own decarbonisation efforts, and simultaneously create sustainable value for the owner.
The operating foundation is the Group’s integrated business model. Origination, trading and sales are closely intertwined; regulated and semi-regulated infrastructure creates predictable, steady cash flows and substantial credit quality, while the trading and sales business leverages opportunities from liquidity, optionality and data intelligence. Scalability and a robust earnings profile are ensured through a digital trading platform, data- and process-oriented operations, and a unified, centrally managed control and risk management system.
Vision
The SEFE Group’s vision is to be a globally active, Europe-based energy company that offers its customers a secure energy supply and energy solutions and accelerates the transformation to a decarbonised economy. When doing so, the Group remains true to its original mission and ensures affordable energy for Europe through its global network and within the applicable regulatory framework. The core business in natural gas and LNG will play a key role in securing the energy supply for the coming years. At the same time, the SEFE Group is investing in the development of decarbonised energy solutions while taking customer needs into account.
Privatisation
A central theme for SEFE is preparing the company to fulfil the German federal government’s obligation, as required by the European Commission, to scale back its ownership interest in the SEFE Group to a maximum of 25 % plus one share by the end of 2028. The Group is in discussions with its shareholder regarding the privatisation process. An intra-Group project is dedicated to the corresponding preparation and implementation.
Framework conditions
The SEFE Group’s strategy is based on the following assumptions regarding energy markets, the global economy and its decarbonisation.
Energy demand is increasing amid the growth of the global economy and the expansion of new energy-intensive technologies. While the security and affordability of the energy supply are becoming increasingly important internationally, cost barriers are hindering the progress of decarbonisation. Complex regulatory frameworks are also slowing the ramp-up of and investment in decarbonised technologies. Although decarbonisation remains a stated goal, the trilemma between decarbonisation, security of supply and the affordability of energy is being reassessed to the detriment of decarbonisation.
The speed of the electrification of the economy and industrial processes will play a key role in this regard, leading to a corresponding increase in the share of power in energy consumption.
Natural gas as a relevant bridge technology
The SEFE Group is convinced that natural gas and LNG will continue to play a key role in the global energy supply, even in an increasingly decarbonised economy. As a bridging technology, it offers the necessary flexibility – especially in Europe – to promote the energy transition amid a continuous increase in the share of intermittent renewables-based generation. Natural gas is currently indispensable as an efficient energy source for ensuring the security of supply in Europe. The SEFE Group therefore plans to enhance its natural gas trading and sales business at an international level in a demand-oriented manner, including through new partnerships in the LNG sector.
The Group also continues to work in parallel on the development of hydrogen solutions, carbon storage and biogas, which in the long-term could have the potential to replace fossil fuels or neutralise their impact on climate change.
Strategic priorities
Under its updated strategy, the SEFE Group pursues the following three priorities, which have been specified in the strategies of the business areas.
Strengthening and expansion of the core business: The SEFE Group aims to consolidate and consistently expand its position in the European and international markets for natural gas and LNG. It focuses on the geographic diversification of its origination sources, the growth of the LNG portfolio and the expansion of transport capacity.
SEFE makes an important contribution to the security of Europe’s supply by combining long-term supply contracts, a global trading platform and digitised processes. Strategic partnerships as well as the enhancement of digital trading solutions strengthen competitiveness and create resilience in a geopolitically volatile environment.
Scaling of decarbonisation solutions: The SEFE Group is evolving from an energy company into an integrated multi-commodity platform. In addition to natural gas and LNG, it is gradually developing new value creation areas and expanding existing ones, including biogas, power, environmental products and strategically important metals. The goal is to meet the changing energy needs of customers with affordable and, wherever possible, decarbonised solutions. The Group is leveraging its digital trading infrastructure to offer its customers flexibility and optimisation services and to position itself as a reliable partner for the decarbonisation of the European economy.
Targeted investments in high-quality assets: The SEFE Group plans to focus its investments on regulated and regulation-adjacent infrastructure projects with strategic added value and stable income. This includes primarily the expansion of Germany’s hydrogen core network. Furthermore, the preparation of carbon transport and storage solutions as well as the development of hydrogen storage facilities are also potential areas of investment. These projects aim to secure the energy flows of today and create options for the future.
Implementation of the strategy
The SEFE Group prioritises key success factors to achieve its strategic goals. Investments in targeted training programmes, talent development and a collaborative culture empower the organisation to develop new business activities. The comprehensive modernisation of the IT landscape ensures efficiency, security and scalability. Digital trading and optimisation tools provide the foundation for automated processes and innovative customer solutions.
A unified management model ensures the integration of the business areas and accelerates decision-making processes. Ensuring financial stability through selected investment-grade rating criteria is the top priority to secure funding for growth and infrastructure projects.
SEFE is also actively committed to a pragmatic and investment-friendly regulatory framework to secure the energy supply, harmonise markets, promote the infrastructure for hydrogen as well as carbon capture and storage (CCS), and reduce regulatory complexity.
Environmental commitments
The SEFE Group aims to support adherence to the climate targets of the European Union (EU) and Germany. The Group is already rigorously reducing its own emissions and supporting its customers in their decarbonisation efforts. The Group’s most important environmental commitments and targets are published in its voluntarily prepared sustainability statement. The speed of the energy transition and thus adherence to the climate targets is, however, subject to considerable political, regulatory, macroeconomic and technological uncertainties. The reporting obligations regarding sustainability, due diligence and taxonomy are monitored and implemented by the SEFE Group within the framework of its sustainability reporting.