June 16, 2025, 10:30 am | Read time: 12 minutes
Klaus Nagl works full-time on the energy transition with his startup, Consolinno. As the CEO, he is well aware of the changes in the energy sector and understands their impact on household supply. In an interview with myHOMEBOOK, he offers solutions and explains why a blackout might not be as unlikely as it seems.
“Greentech” is the industry in which the startup “Consolinno,” led by Klaus Nagl from Regensburg, Bavaria, operates. The inventor aims to advance the energy transition by creating efficient and modern technology that doesn’t overload the grid. With the rise of heat pumps and electric vehicle charging stations, electricity consumption is no longer as consistent as it was a few years ago, leading to peak loads that can have negative effects. On the other hand, the gradual phase-out of renewable energy sources has made household electricity supply more challenging. Energy expert Klaus Nagl discusses the background and explains his approach, where various trades interlock.
About Consolinno:
Since its founding in 2017, Consolinno has been implementing energy solutions for various clients, including private households. The goal is to save CO2 and costs for private customers and businesses. The core of the energy management system is the company’s own “Leaflet,” an energy control unit. The devices are developed and manufactured in Bavaria.
»Climate Change Doesn’t Sleep
myHOMEBOOK: Consolinno – how did the name come about?
Klaus Nagl: “The notary appointment was approaching, and the evening before, we decided to find a name. I could say it was my idea, but actually, my co-founder Christian Preis came up with it. We liked it. After all, we consult – Consulting – we lead to solutions – Solutions – and we guide people through it. And these solutions always have a certain degree of innovation. That’s how Consolinno came about.”
What problem does Consolinno offer solutions for?
“The fundamental problem is: Climate change doesn’t sleep. This fundamental problem can be tackled in many ways. For example, I could just ride a bike. We decided to focus on the energy transition. We want to make it a bit more bearable for future generations.”
The Problems of Decentralized Energy Supply
What is needed for this?
“It requires a lot of technical know-how. In the past, nuclear and coal power plants produced constant energy, and consumption fluctuated only slightly. Now, both producers and consumers fluctuate. Previously, there was a large power plant, and you needed a thick line to distribute the energy. Today, we have a large wind farm here, a large PV park there – everything is decentralized.”
How does this affect things?
“Somehow, we need to make this power grid work for intelligent consumption and intelligent generation. For this, we need electronics, such as inverters. And our energy management should ideally be cyber-secure so that no one can suddenly turn off all devices. We also need a certain basic order for information technology and data processing.”
And that’s it?
“We also need know-how to send the digitized data to a database. Cloud computing plays an important role here. But the data alone is not enough; we need to analyze it so that we can ideally learn something from it. And this is where artificial intelligence comes into play.”
»The Energy Transition Only Works with the Right Technology
What is the best outcome?
“The goal is to eventually match energy management in context. How else can we achieve the energy transition globally? It only works with the right technology. That’s why our slogan is: Climate protection is our drive, technology is our contribution. That’s what we’ve decided on.”
Which stakeholders do you work with?
“First, there are the grid operators responsible for energy distribution. Then come the energy suppliers, such as electricity traders and municipal utilities, responsible for selling energy. There are the plant operators responsible for energy generation. And, of course, the device manufacturers, such as for inverters, wall boxes, heat pumps, or battery storage. Then we need the transmitters, the people involved in getting it into the field, the planners, especially the installers who have to install it, and finally, of course, the end customers. I want to create a comprehensive experience for them so that they enjoy using the product. We try to make all these stakeholders happy.”
Is Consolinno receiving any support?
“We have done research and development projects – quite typical for startups coming from the academic scene. They eventually run out, and today we are doing our own thing.”
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»The Government Proposes an All-Electric Energy Transition Scenario
Electricity distribution is different today than it was a few years ago. Many are currently warning of a possible overload of the power grids. How do you assess the risk of a blackout?
“I am actually dealing with this question – partly out of interest, partly technologically. The fact is: In the past, there were constant or slightly fluctuating consumers. The electrical demand was almost irrelevant. We had oil heating, gas heating, and gasoline for the car. Today, the load is fundamentally higher due to electric cars or heat pumps. The government more or less proposes an all-electric energy transition scenario. This adds an aggravating effect.”
That’s probably not the only aggravating effect …
“Another problem: We need most heat in winter when we tend to have the worst battery efficiency and the lowest PV output. We need to consider these factors to make the energy transition socially acceptable, affordable, and blackout-free. I am actually dealing with this question day and night.”
»If We Don’t Implement Measures Now, the Risk of a Blackout Will Increase
Should we be afraid that one day there will be no electricity from the socket?
“No fear. But a backup generator would be good (laughs). No, kidding aside – it’s not as bad as it’s made out to be. But still: If we don’t implement various measures as quickly as possible, the risk will increase. I don’t want to get political here, but if you decide on nuclear phase-out scenarios and neglect the energy transition for years, it won’t get better. It’s like in relationships: You should address problems and not ignore them. Otherwise, it will eventually become too much. Now we need to communicate openly and transparently. And then you can also clear up all concerns – even if it’s a lot of work.”
What needs to change in the political direction?
“Transparency. Less populism and more pragmatism. Address real problems, develop real solution strategies. And if it means that we have to bite the bullet to achieve this or that goal in the long term, then I want to know about it. I don’t want kamikaze scenarios that then completely derail.”
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»More Oil Heaters Sold Than Ever Due to the Heating Law
Do you have an example?
“More oil heaters have been sold than ever due to the heating law. A completely different intention than originally planned. Such crazy things happen when you announce something non-transparent that is then blown out of proportion. And due to this lack of transparency, you naturally offer plenty of attack surfaces.”
That sounds like a pretty complicated relationship.
“You have to make the whole thing more tangible, you have to create an information policy about it. Because it is really complicated and not done with a snap of the fingers. But I think you have to better involve the masses on this journey.”
You don’t fit the image of a typical CEO. Have you ever clashed?
“That’s a fundamental issue – whether it’s due to appearance or the whole mindset. It’s hard for me to judge whether I clash with it. But yes, the topics are often emotional. I have an opinion, for example, when it comes to transparency, and I address it. What is ultimately right or wrong is beside the point here. The important thing is: You have to engage in discourse.”
Your resume is quite impressive. You come from a farm in Lower Bavaria, completed a locksmith apprenticeship, studied physics, and started a Ph.D. in theoretical physics. What drove you?
“Much was shaped by chance. After my first working years, an economic crisis hit. Then I went to night school and completed my high school diploma. After that, I slipped into studying. Due to the work at home, I was already very practice-oriented. That’s why I was less interested in mechanical engineering or technology. I wanted to do something more abstract like theoretical physics. In the process, I learned programming and the evaluation of large data sets – today, that’s called data science. Lots of simulation, lots of statistics.”
»I Built My Own PV System Quite Early
And on the practical side?
“Due to my practical experience, I built my own PV system quite early. And I asked myself what I could advance as a hobby with the knowledge I had acquired. Then I built the first controllers, ran them with Raspberry PI software, and watched what happened. And after gaining some experience with the technology, I understood that you can also control heat distribution with it.”
Is that all?
“Then there’s the stochastic. With it, I can roughly say how much energy a multi-family or single-family house consumes on average over a certain period. In this awareness, AI development begins. Common sense also plays an important role here – and even more practical experience. With certain skills, you can automate this AI. And these skills are stochastic and statistics, not rocket science.”
It almost sounds like it …
“Basically, various fortunate events have developed into a good solution – in an environment where there is also interest in this solution.”
»Climate Change Will Lead to Crises or Conflict Scenarios
What will happen if we don’t find a solution?
“Climate change will certainly ensure that not everyone can continue to live where they are now. More people will have to flee in the future. Unfortunately, as humanity, we are not well equipped to handle it. We are not stable enough for it right now. This will lead to crises or conflict scenarios. I want to do everything I can to prevent that, right? That should be at the top of the priority list. I also have a penchant for technology and hands-on work. I now have four children, and I want to do something for them too. And, of course, I enjoy it.”
In the past, topics like sustainability and energy saving – at least in my impression – were less appealing. Now it’s a big topic, maybe even en vogue. Perhaps also because it hits people’s wallets more. Do you agree?
“That’s absolutely right. I come from the deepest Lower Bavaria. When I was 18 or 20, it wasn’t trendy to drive the most economical car. Given the gas prices back then, it wasn’t that bad. Energy costs were also lower, even though people generally earned less. Today, it’s going in a different direction; you can really save something. And there are many more opportunities to participate in the entire energy transition. In the past, you bought sustainable, healthy organic food in the organic store. Now the trend is moving towards energy and mobility – into a larger awareness process. It’s going in the right direction.”
»Many of the Systems and Interfaces Are Extremely Insecure
Earlier, you briefly mentioned cybersecurity. How secure are our energy systems? How high is the hacker risk?
“Many of the systems and interfaces hanging out there are extremely insecure. An attack is possible. In our system, for example, we have physically separated interfaces. Here the inverter is connected, there the customer’s LAN. So no one can get in through the inverter or vice versa. You can add various security mechanisms. We think about how to make the systems more secure or harder to access for external threats. Or at least not lead to a widespread shutdown.”
Are there security gaps in the system?
“Recently, there were media reports about a heat pump manufacturer that always used the same master password. A hacker found that out. But he could have saved himself the trouble because I could have told him the password. Everyone in the industry knew it. No special characters, no letters. Not a big deal to hack into.”
Do you have a power generator at home for emergencies?
“No, but I have a battery storage. It is connected to a PV system that would also produce electricity in the event of a grid disconnection or blackout.”
Are you completely self-sufficient with it?
“I believe that I actually wouldn’t need to draw any kilowatt-hours of heat or electricity from outside. That’s what the south side of the house roof provides.”
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»Energy for Cities Must Come from the Surrounding Area
And if you don’t have your own roof?
“In Munich or Berlin, on a multi-family house, the roof area is limited. Then it doesn’t work here. It’s also a misconception to assume that cities have to supply themselves. What nonsense! Energy for cities must come from the surrounding area. After all, grain used to come from the surrounding area, from the farmers.”
Interesting comparison!
“Clearly: If someone doesn’t have enough roof space, they have to be supplied from outside. And if a village becomes self-sufficient today, the next village ten kilometers away would first build a line to create redundancies and security. So we would start expanding a power grid again. I don’t believe in completely grid-disconnected operation.”
Your personal energy-saving tip – even for households without a PV system?
“It’s simple: It’s about mindfulness – no matter the area. Do I leave the light on when I’m not home? Do I close the refrigerator door faster when I take something out? Or do I use green electricity for my household? Do I pay attention to energy ratings when I buy a new kitchen appliance? Mindfulness runs through all areas, and there are many small opportunities you can take advantage of.”