DEW21

What DEW21 does

DEW21 (Dortmunder Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH) is a privately held multi-utility company headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, that supplies electricity, natural gas, district heating (Fernwärme), and drinking water to residential, commercial, large industrial, municipal, and property-management customers in the Dortmund region and surrounding municipalities including Herdecke. The company also sells and rents complementary energy hardware and services — heat pumps (with a rental option), wallboxes (11 kW and 22 kW) with installation, photovoltaic consulting, balcony power plants (Balkonkraftwerk), and direct marketing services for business-owned PV systems — positioning it to capture part of Germany's building-decarbonization and e-mobility transition.

The underlying technology stack is a conventional municipal-utility architecture: physical distribution infrastructure for electricity, gas, district heating, and water, layered with smart-meter rollout (moderne Messeinrichtungen and intelligente Messsysteme) operated in conjunction with grid partner DONETZ (Dortmunder Netz GmbH), and a self-service digital front end (Meine DEW21 customer portal) for contract management, meter readings, invoicing, and appointment booking. Green electricity is offered under TÜV Rheinland-certified and ÖkoPLUS-certified RenewablePLUS products, and an exclusive co-branding arrangement with Borussia Dortmund (BVB) since the 2020/21 season produces BVB Vollstrom and BVB Vollgas tariffs that are distributed both locally and nationwide. The company operates physical service centers (Expresscenter Innenstadt, Expresscenter Borsigplatz), a consultation office in Herdecke, a multi-channel service hotline, WhatsApp support, and dedicated account management for housing management, commercial, and large-customer/municipal segments.

Revenue is generated primarily through consumption-based, recurring utility supply charges (electricity, gas, water, district heating) plus basic fees, complemented by hardware sales (wallboxes, heat pumps), rental income (heat pumps), consulting fees (energy efficiency, PV, direct marketing), and district heating contracting (Nahwärme-Contracting) for business customers. Residential tariffs include a price guarantee over an initial 24-month contract period, and commercial/large-customer tariffs are individually negotiated based on annual consumption volume. Marketing is conducted through the website, customer portal, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Xing), content marketing via an editorial magazine, the BVB sponsorship, and a corporate sponsoring program for local cultural, social, and sports projects.

Name

DEW21

Legal name

Dortmunder Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH

Website

https://dew21.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DEW21 is a privately held Dortmund-based multi-utility supplying electricity, natural gas, district heating, and water to residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, and property-management customers in the Dortmund region, complemented by heat pumps, e-mobility, and photovoltaic offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy and Water Utility Services

NAICS

Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply (221330)

SIC

Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC & Industrial Ventilation (Chillers, AHUs, Exhaust, Filtration) (EUAEAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

EV Charging Operations & Parking-Lot Electrification Management (BPABAKAK), Commercial HVAC/R Installation (Rooftop Units, Split Systems) (HSAOAGAH)

Keywords

• Energy utility services
• Electricity and gas supply
• District heating solutions
• Drinking water supply
• Renewable energy tariffs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electricity Supply: Sale of electricity to residential and business customers with various tariff options including green electricity (Ökostrom) products with RenewablePLUS certification. Revenue from consumption-based electricity charges plus basic fees.
2. Natural Gas Supply: Sale of natural gas to residential and business customers including green gas options. Revenue from consumption-based charges plus basic fees.
3. Water Supply: Water supply services for Dortmund region as municipal water provider.
4. District Heating (Fernwärme): Sustainable district heating solutions for buildings and facilities, including climate-friendly heating for major venues like SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.
5. Heat Pump Solutions: Sale and rental of heat pumps with consulting services for residential customers. Option to rent modern heating technology without purchase costs.
6. E-Mobility Services: Wallbox sales and installation, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, charging station locator services.
7. Photovoltaic Systems: Photovoltaic system consulting and balcony power plants (Balkonkraftwerk) for residential customers. Direct marketing services for business customers with PV installations.
8. Technical Services: Technical services including 10-kV stations, energy visualization/management systems, and energy consulting for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DEW21 supplies electricity, natural gas, drinking water, and district heating (Fernwärme) to residential and business customers in Dortmund and surrounding areas. Beyond core utility supply, the company delivers complementary offerings including Wallbox e-mobility charging solutions, photovoltaic consulting and balcony power plants (Balkonkraftwerk), heat pump rental, energy efficiency consulting for businesses, and direct marketing services for business-owned photovoltaic installations. The company operates under TÜV Rheinland-certified RenewablePLUS and ÖkoPLUS green electricity certifications and holds an exclusive partnership with Borussia Dortmund for co-branded energy tariffs and district heating supply to SIGNAL IDUNA PARK stadium.

Product overview

DEW21 (Dortmunder Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH) is a regional energy and water utility company based in Dortmund, Germany, offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy products and services. The company operates as a multi-utility provider offering core products in electricity (Strom), natural gas (Erdgas), heat/district heating (Wärme/Fernwärme), and water (Wasser). Beyond traditional utility services, DEW21 provides complementary offerings including e-mobility solutions (Wallbox, charging stations), photovoltaic consulting and balcony power plants, and energy efficiency consulting for businesses. The company also markets specialized BVB fan tariffs under license from Borussia Dortmund. For business customers, DEW21 offers tailored electricity and gas solutions across consumption tiers, municipal services, and property management solutions. The product portfolio includes the Meine DEW21 customer portal for online account management. DEW21 also participates in district heating and renewable energy projects, evidenced by their partnership with Borussia Dortmund for climate-friendly district heating at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Strom Lokal: Local electricity tariff for customers in Dortmund and surrounding area with price guarantee and certified sustainable energy.
• BVB Vollstrom
• BVB Vollgas

Products and services

• Strom (Electricity Supply) Electricity tariffs for private and business customers, including local tariffs (Strom Lokal), BVB Vollstrom licensed Borussia Dortmund fan tariff, and basic supply tariffs (Grund- und Ersatzversorgung). Products available with optional RenewablePLUS green/renewable energy certification.
• Erdgas (Natural Gas Supply) Natural gas tariffs for private and business customers, including local tariffs (Erdgas Lokal), BVB Vollgas fan tariff, and basic supply options (Grund- und Ersatzversorgung).
• Wärme (Heat/District Heating and Heat Pumps) Heat solutions including Fernwärme (district heating) for sustainable heating from the network and Wärmepumpe (heat pump) services with rental options for modern heating technology without purchase costs.
• Wasser (Drinking Water Supply) Municipal drinking water supply services for Dortmund private and business customers, provided by DEW21 as the regional water utility.
• Business Electricity (Strom für Geschäftskunden) Individually negotiated electricity tariffs for business customers segmented by consumption (commercial up to 100,000 kWh, large customers above 100,000 kWh), plus dedicated tariff structures for municipal customers and property managers/landlords. Available regionally and nationwide.
• Business Gas (Gas für Geschäftskunden) Individually negotiated natural gas tariffs for business customers segmented by consumption (commercial up to 300,000 kWh, large customers above 300,000 kWh), with dedicated offerings for municipal customers and property managers/landlords.
• Energieberatung (Business Energy Consulting) Professional consulting services for businesses to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs, including energy audits and implementation of energy management/visualization systems.
• Nahwärme-Contracting (District Heating Contracting) Complete turnkey solution package for business heat planning, providing local district heating (Nahwärme) contracting from planning through operation.
• Strom Direktvermarktung (Direct Marketing of Self-Generated Electricity) Direct marketing services for businesses with their own photovoltaic installations, enabling them to market their self-generated electricity on the market.
• Elektromobilität (E-Mobility / Wallbox Solutions) E-mobility solutions including charging options, Wallbox packages (11 kW or 22 kW) with professional installation services for residential electric vehicle owners.
• Photovoltaik (Photovoltaic Consulting and Balkonkraftwerk) Photovoltaic consulting services and balcony power plants (Balkonkraftwerk) for residential customers to generate solar electricity for self-consumption.
• BVB VOLLSTROM / BVB VOLLGAS (Borussia Dortmund Fan Energy Tariffs) Officially licensed co-branded Borussia Dortmund fan electricity (BVB VOLLSTROM) and gas (BVB VOLLGAS) tariffs offering exclusive fan benefits including 50 EUR BVB Fanshop vouchers for new electricity customers, ticket prize draws, signed jerseys, and VIP tickets, available nationwide.
• Strom Lokal (Local Electricity Tariff) Local electricity tariff branded with the 'Herbe Stadt. Herber Preis.' campaign, featuring a 24-month price guarantee, certified sustainable energy supply, and personal service for Dortmund region customers.
• Meine DEW21 (Online Customer Portal and App) Online customer portal and associated mobile app providing self-service contract management, invoice viewing, meter reading submission, direct debit management, appointment booking, and personal data updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reliable energy and water supply serving Dortmund as part of essential services (Daseinsvorsorge)

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Borussia Dortmund (BVB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership since 2020/21 football season. DEW21 provides BVB VOLLSTROM and BVB VOLLGAS co-branded energy tariffs exclusively licensed products for fans. As official partner, DEW21 supplies climate-friendly district heating (klimafreundliche Fernwärme) for SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. Partnership includes sponsorship of BVB football club, exclusive fan experiences, ticket giveaways, signed jersey promotions, and VIP tickets.
• DONETZ (Dortmunder Netz GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationDONETZ is the local grid operator (distribution network operator) in Dortmund responsible for meter operation. DEW21 collaborates with DONETZ for grid infrastructure and warns customers about misleading Smart Meter installation letters from third-party competitive meter operators.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mainova AG: Frankfurt-based multi-utility (Stadtwerke) supplying electricity, gas, district heating, and water to a major German metropolitan area — directly comparable business model, customer structure, and municipal-utility footprint to DEW21.
• RheinEnergie AG: Cologne-based municipal utility providing electricity, gas, district heating, and water to the Cologne region — same multi-utility product mix, same NRW regional context, and same municipal ownership structure as DEW21.
• Stadtwerke Köln GmbH: Cologne municipal utility group operating electricity, gas, water, district heating, and public-transport adjacent services — the closest structural analogue to DEW21 in scale, product breadth, and regional-utility positioning.
• N-ERGIE Aktiengesellschaft: Nuremberg-based regional energy supplier offering electricity, gas, district heating, and water to residential, commercial, and municipal customers — comparable multi-product Stadtwerke structure with similar B2B/B2C segmentation.
• DREWAG - Stadtwerke Dresden GmbH: Dresden's municipal multi-utility providing electricity, gas, district heating, water, and e-mobility services — directly comparable in scope (especially emerging e-mobility offerings) and Stadtwerke governance model.
• Stadtwerke München GmbH (SWM): Munich's municipal utility operating one of Germany's largest district-heating networks plus electricity, gas, and water — a larger-scale Stadtwerke analogue with the same multi-utility structure and renewable-energy (Innsbruck hydropower) strategy.
• EWE AG: Oldenburg-based regional energy and telecommunications provider serving northwest Germany with electricity, gas, heat, and water — directly comparable multi-utility business model at slightly larger geographic scale.
• Gelsenwasser AG: Regional water and energy utility operating across NRW and northern Germany with water supply, gas, and district heating — direct peer on the water supply and district-heating overlap with DEW21.
• Stadtwerke Krefeld AG (SWK): Krefeld-based municipal utility offering electricity, gas, water, district heating, and e-mobility — smaller-scale Stadtwerke analogue with very similar product portfolio and target customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG: Large listed regional energy incumbent in southwest Germany with electricity generation, distribution, district heating, gas, and EV charging — broader incumbent operating across the same value chain as DEW21 but at materially larger scale and with generation assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClDMZthZspCSJD3SQHGH-Ww
• Facebookfacebook.com/dew21
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dew21
• Instagraminstagram.com/dew21.de
• Xx.com/dew21

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DEW21