Stadtwerke Herne AG

What Stadtwerke Herne AG does

Stadtwerke Herne AG is a municipal energy and water utility headquartered in Herne, Germany, wholly owned by the City of Herne (Stadt Herne). Founded in 1902/1903, the company supplies approximately 160,000 residents and businesses across a 51.42 km² service area with electricity, natural gas, district heating, and drinking water. Core infrastructure comprises 1,800 km of power lines (600 km medium voltage, 1,200 km low voltage), 668 km of gas network, 42 km of district heating pipelines, and a TSM-certified water supply operation housed in the Wasserversorgung Herne GmbH & Co. KG subsidiary. Annual distribution volumes reach approximately 430 GWh of electricity, 882 GWh of gas, and 40 GWh of thermal energy, with grid operations managed through subsidiary Netzgesellschaft Herne mbH (NGH).

The business operates a hybrid utility-plus-solutions model. Commodity supply is usage-based and tariff-driven across residential (Privatkunden) and business (Geschäftskunden) segments, with go-to-market combining digital self-service (24/7 Online-Kundencenter, video consultation), two physical customer centers (Herne and Wanne-Eickel), and dedicated B2B sales. Revenue is increasingly diversified into value-added offerings including Vaillant heat pumps (starting at €28,500), photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, Wallbox EV charging, smart metering, and an employee electricity voucher (MitarbeiterStromgutscheine) program extended outside Herne via the 'Energie von nebenan' sub-brand. The Bonuswelt loyalty ecosystem spans 260+ local partners. Strategic positioning is reinforced through the ewmr cooperation with Stadtwerke Bochum and Stadtwerke Witten for combined purchasing and production, and digital infrastructure is supported by rku.it GmbH as IT subsidiary. Recent digital investments include AI-powered chatbot and voicebot customer service and a unified 2025 Bonuswelt app developed with ATINO GmbH.

Name

Stadtwerke Herne AG

Legal name

Stadtwerke Herne AG

Website

https://stadtwerke-herne.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stadtwerke Herne AG is a municipal utility wholly owned by the City of Herne, Germany, distributing electricity, gas, district heating, and water to approximately 160,000 residents and businesses across Herne through owned network infrastructure and a portfolio of energy solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Energy and Water Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Natural Gas Distribution (22121), Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply (221330), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Water Supply (4941), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

DER Management Systems (DERMS) & Virtual Power Plants (VPP) (EUADAPAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microgrid, DER & Building Electrification Energy Controls (Solar/Storage/EV Load Orchestration) (BPABAGAJ), Customer Self-Service Portals & Digital Experience (Web/Mobile) (EUAJAHAK)

Keywords

• Municipal energy supply
• District heating services
• Electricity grid distribution
• Natural gas distribution
• Drinking water supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Herne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution: Operating approximately 1,800 km of power lines (600 km medium voltage, 1,200 km low voltage), serving about 100,000 withdrawal points and distributing approximately 430 GWh of electrical energy annually at peak load of about 80 MW
2. Gas Distribution: Operating approximately 668 km of gas network with about 21,000 supply points and approximately 882 GWh of energy provided annually at peak load of about 310 MW
3. District Heating: Operating approximately 42 km of district heating pipelines connecting about 500 buildings and delivering approximately 40 GWh of thermal energy annually
4. Water Supply: Water supply through Wasserversorgung Herne GmbH & Co. KG, providing drinking water to businesses and households in Herne
5. Energy Solutions and Services: Offering energy solutions including heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, wallboxes for e-mobility, and energy consulting services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stadtwerke Herne AG is a municipal energy and water utility that distributes electricity, natural gas, district heating (Fernwärme), and drinking water to residential (Privatkunden) and business (Geschäftskunden) customers in the city of Herne, Germany. The company operates approximately 1,800 km of power lines, 668 km of gas network, and 42 km of district heating pipelines, and also offers complementary solutions such as heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, e-mobility Wallboxes, an employee voucher program, and digital customer services through an online customer center, a Bonuswelt loyalty app, and AI-powered chatbot and voicebot support.

Product overview

Stadtwerke Herne AG is a municipal energy provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy and utility services. The core offerings include electricity, natural gas, district heating, and water supply for both residential (Privatkunden) and business (Geschäftskunden) customers. The product ecosystem includes digital self-service through the Online-Kundencenter, the Bonuswelt loyalty program, smart energy solutions including heat pumps (Wärmepumpen), photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, Wallbox EV charging, and Smart Meter infrastructure. For business customers, the company provides dedicated energy solutions, employee voucher programs, and video/chatbot customer service. The Wasser GmbH subsidiary handles water supply with TSM-certified quality. The company also operates district heating networks covering 42 km and serves approximately 160,000 residents in the Herne area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Energie von nebenan: A sub-brand for employees outside Herne to participate in the employee electricity voucher program.

Products and services

• Strom (Electricity Supply) Electricity supply and distribution service operated by Stadtwerke Herne AG across approximately 1,800 km of medium- and low-voltage power lines (~600 km medium voltage, ~1,200 km low voltage), serving about 100,000 withdrawal points with ~430 GWh distributed annually at peak load of ~80 MW. Available to both private (Privatkunden) and business (Geschäftskunden) customers across the Herne service area.
• Erdgas (Natural Gas Supply) Natural gas distribution through an approximately 668 km network with approximately 21,000 supply points and around 882 GWh of energy delivered annually at peak load of ~310 MW. Supplied to residential and commercial customers in Herne.
• Fernwärme (District Heating) District heating network (Fernwärme) comprising approximately 42 km of pipelines connecting approximately 500 buildings and delivering approximately 40 GWh of thermal energy annually. Stadtwerke Herne is actively expanding the network across Herne neighborhoods as a climate-friendly heating solution.
• Trinkwasserversorgung (Drinking Water Supply) Drinking water supply delivered to households and businesses in Herne via the subsidiary Wasserversorgung Herne GmbH & Co. KG, which is co-founded with Gelsenwasser AG and holds TSM (Technisches Sicherheitsmanagement) certification. Sourced and quality-tested daily; certified in November 2025.
• Wärmepumpen (Heat Pump Solutions) Heat pump solutions for single- and multi-family homes, supplied as a complete package (consultation, planning, installation, maintenance) using Vaillant brand air-source heat pumps, available via outright purchase starting at €28,500 (including installation) or through leasing/contracting models. Customers may also choose a dedicated Wärmepumpen-Tarif electricity tariff.
• Wärmepumpen-Tarif (Heat Pump Electricity Tariff) Special electricity tariff for heat pump owners featuring attractive pricing, planning security, and 100% certified green electricity from hydropower. Designed to pair with the Wärmepumpen hardware offering.
• Photovoltaik (Photovoltaic Systems) Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems offered to residential and commercial customers in Herne as part of the company's sustainable energy portfolio, with reference installations including a large-scale PV system at the Baumaschinen Rhein-Ruhr headquarters.
• LED-Beleuchtung (LED Lighting Solutions) Energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for social institutions (with cost-saving leasing options for kindergartens and care homes) and commercial customers, including an installation at the Innospec Deutschland GmbH chemical plant in Herne.
• Wallbox (E-Mobility Charging Solutions) Wallbox electric vehicle charging solutions offered to residential customers as part of Stadtwerke Herne's electromobility (e-mobility) services, enabling home-based EV charging.
• Mitarbeitergutscheine / Energie von nebenan (Employee Electricity Voucher Program) B2B employee benefit program allowing companies to grant their employees monthly electricity vouchers (Stromgutscheine) up to €50 per employee (tax-free). Marketed under the sub-brand "Energie von nebenan" for employees outside Herne; serves as a talent attraction and retention tool for employers.
• Bonuswelt Loyalty Program Customer loyalty program offering savings, prizes, and events with over 260 partners in Herne and the surrounding area. Delivered via the new Stadtwerke Bonuswelt App launched in 2025 (combined from the rewirpower customer card and former Bonuswelt App).
• Online-Kundencenter (Digital Customer Portal) 24/7 self-service digital customer portal allowing Stadtwerke Herne customers to manage contracts, view invoices, submit meter readings, and access services online without waiting or paperwork.
• Standrohrverleih (Standpipe Water Meter Rental) Rental service for mobile standpipe water meters (QN6, QN10, QN15) used for temporary water extraction during construction projects or events in the Herne area.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~430 GWh electricity and ~882 GWh gas distributed annually to 160,000+ residents
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ewmr (Energie- und Wasserversorgung Mittleres Ruhrgebiet GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic cooperation in the middle Ruhr area with Stadtwerke Bochum and Stadtwerke Witten. The partnership enables combined purchasing and production capabilities, shared expertise, and joint market positioning to compete effectively in the energy market.
• Gelsenwasser AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater supply partnership since 1961 through Wasserversorgung Herne GmbH & Co. KG, co-founded by Stadtwerke Herne and Gelsenwasser AG. Gelsenwasser provides water supply and regular water quality analyses.
• VaillantcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHeat pump manufacturer supplying products for the heat pump offerings sold and installed by Stadtwerke Herne. Vaillant quality products are offered as part of the complete package including consultation, planning, installation, and maintenance.
• fox-on Datenschutz GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerData protection services provider serving as the Data Protection Officer (Datenschutzbeauftragte) for Stadtwerke Herne AG, located in Lindlar/Köln.
• trurnit GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarketing and communication services provider used for certain service implementations, based in Munich.
• SeitenPlan GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarketing services provider based in Dortmund, used for certain service implementations.
• Herne.Digital GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital services subsidiary company (2.88% ownership) focusing on digital transformation initiatives for Herne.
• Wanne-Herner Eisenbahn und Hafen GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRailway and port company with 94.90% ownership, providing logistics and transportation infrastructure services.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Stadtwerke Essen: Larger Essen-based municipal utility operating electricity, gas, district heating, and water across a neighboring Ruhr city. Comparable in product portfolio and municipal governance but materially larger, providing a useful reference for what a scaled-up Stadtwerke Herne could look like under successful district heating and energy-services expansion.
• DREWAG / SachsenEnergie: Dresden-based municipal utility (electricity, gas, district heating, water) recently merged into SachsenEnergie. Comparable multi-utility municipal model with strong district heating position, providing a peer reference for regional consolidation and the integration challenges of merging Stadtwerke networks.
• Stadtwerke Krefeld (SWK): Mid-sized NRW municipal utility (electricity, gas, water, district heating, public transport) with comparable scale to Stadtwerke Herne. Operates a similar diversified municipal model in a different NRW city, providing a peer benchmark for cross-selling energy services and managing a multi-utility portfolio of comparable size.
• Stadtwerke Düsseldorf: Larger Düsseldorf-based municipal multi-utility with electricity, gas, district heating, water, and an extensive EV charging network. Useful peer for benchmarking digital customer services (online portal, app, bonus programs) and electrification offerings (heat pumps, PV, wallboxes) at a more advanced stage of maturity.
• Mainova: Frankfurt-based municipal multi-utility (electricity, gas, district heating, water) operating under a similar public-utility governance model. Comparable in product portfolio and municipal-ownership orientation, but serving a wealthier metropolitan customer base in Hesse rather than the Ruhr — useful for benchmarking digital service maturity and district heating economics.

Broad incumbents

• RWE: Major German energy company headquartered in Essen in the Ruhr area, with generation, distribution, and customer operations. While RWE has divested its downstream network business, it remains a regional incumbent with renewable generation and trading exposure that interacts with Stadtwerke Herne's supply and grid operations.
• E.ON: Germany's largest private energy group operating across electricity, gas, and customer solutions nationwide. A broad incumbent operating in Herne's market with overlapping customer solutions (energy supply, heat pumps, EV charging), but with vastly greater scale, capital access, and product breadth — representing the private-sector competitive benchmark.

Direct peers

• Stadtwerke Bochum: Bochum-based municipal multi-utility (electricity, gas, water, district heating) and the company's direct ewmr cooperation partner. Operates with the same public AG structure, similar municipal-ownership model, and overlapping Ruhr-area service territory — making it the most directly comparable peer on scale, customer mix, and regulatory regime.
• Gelsenwasser AG: Long-standing water-supply partner to Stadtwerke Herne via the co-owned Wasserversorgung Herne GmbH & Co. KG. A regional water utility with a broader municipal shareholder base, providing direct comparability on water-supply operations, TSM-certified quality standards, and partnership structures with municipal utilities.
• Stadtwerke Witten: Witten-based municipal utility and the third member of the ewmr cooperation alongside Stadtwerke Herne and Stadtwerke Bochum. Smaller-scale but structurally identical multi-utility with shared procurement and market positioning, making it a tight peer for benchmarking operating performance and service portfolio design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StadtwerkeHerne
• Instagraminstagram.com/stadtwerkeherne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stadtwerke-herne-ag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Stadtwerke Herne AG