In rural regions and many big cities, public utilities play an important role as employers and infrastructure managers. But the energy turnaround is putting them under pressure: due to falling prices on the electricity exchanges, many are now in the red. How can municipal providers master the energy turnaround nevertheless? “SW Agent” from the TU Berlin and the University of Hohenheim are trying to answer this question. Based on computer-simulated model public utilities, the researchers are analysing various scenarios and developing new business models for municipal gas and electricity providers.