KNAUBER
KNAUBER is a family-owned German energy company headquartered in Bonn providing residential and commercial energy supply (electricity, natural gas, heating oil, wood pellets), renewable solutions (PV/storage), alternative mobility fuels (Bio-LNG network, KlimaDiesel), wholesale LPG trading, and e-mobility infrastructure to households, SMEs, fleet operators, and industrial customers across Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1884
- HeadquartersBonn, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What KNAUBER does
KNAUBER is a family-owned German energy company headquartered in Bonn, with continuous operation dating to 1884, making it one of the longer-tenured regional energy providers in Germany. The company operates a horizontally diversified energy portfolio organized through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Knauber Mineralöl GmbH & Co. KG (heating oil), Knauber Erdgas GmbH (natural gas and electricity), and Knauber Gas GmbH & Co. KG (LNG/Bio-LNG fuel stations). Core activities span residential and commercial energy retail (electricity from hydropower, natural gas including 15% and 100% biogas blends, heating oil, wood pellets), renewable energy solutions (modular PV and storage packages with wallbox integration), alternative mobility fuels (a Bio-LNG refueling station network of at least 17 sites on German highways, KlimaDiesel25 HVO-based diesel substitute), wholesale LPG trading (propane, butane, Bio-LPG via Antwerp-Rhine inland shipping to a Duisburg distribution hub), and e-mobility infrastructure including Hypercharger fast-charging stations.
The business model is multi-stream: residential customers subscribe to fixed-price or flexible electricity/gas tariffs via knauber.de's postcode-based calculators and self-service portal, pay per-liter unit pricing for heating oil and wood pellets with CO2-compensated delivery as an option, or one-time fees for PV/storage installations with promotional discounts (up to €1,500). Commercial and industrial customers are served through a field-sales motion for SLP and RLM-metered electricity/gas supply, contracting solutions, LPG wholesale contracts with spot/formula/fixed pricing, and fleet fueling via Knauber fuel cards with cross-acceptance across AS 24, Verbio, GasCom, and BayWa networks. Revenue is therefore a mix of subscription recurring revenue (utility tariffs), transaction-fee revenue (LNG/LPG/KlimaDiesel), one-time license revenue (heating oil, pellets, PV installations), and managed-services revenue (contracting).
Customer base segments across residential households, small-to-mid commercial enterprises, fleet operators, LPG wholesalers, and energy-intensive industrial consumers, all anchored in Germany (DE). The go-to-market combines direct digital self-service for residential customers, personalized advisory for commercial clients, a physical highway refueling network for fleet operators, and wholesale LPG distribution for industrial buyers. The company has registered certifications including DIN 51603-1, ENplus, DINplus, RAL-Gütesiegel, GEG-compliance for biogas blends, and Grüner Strom-Label.
KNAUBER firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KNAUBER
- Legal name
- Carl Knauber Holding GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://knauber.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1884
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KNAUBER is a family-owned German energy company headquartered in Bonn providing residential and commercial energy supply (electricity, natural gas, heating oil, wood pellets), renewable solutions (PV/storage), alternative mobility fuels (Bio-LNG network, KlimaDiesel), wholesale LPG trading, and e-mobility infrastructure to households, SMEs, fleet operators, and industrial customers across Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where KNAUBER is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bonn
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
KNAUBER business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Electricity Sales (Ökostrom): Sale of eco-electricity sourced from 100% hydropower to residential and commercial customers. Revenue is generated through subscription-based tariffs with monthly base fees and consumption-based (per kWh) pricing. Two primary tariff lines: flexible 3-month contracts and 12-month fixed contracts with price guarantees.
- Natural Gas Sales (Erdgas): Sale of natural gas to residential and commercial customers. Multiple tariff tiers include Flex (variable pricing), Sicher12 (12-month fixed), Bio15 (15% biogas blend), and Bio100 (100% biogas). Revenue is generated via subscription contracts with monthly base fees and consumption-based pricing.
- Heating Oil (Heizöl): Retail sale of heating oil (DIN standard, low-sulfur) and premium 'Sparheizöl' to residential customers. One-time purchase transactions at per-liter unit pricing, with optional CO2-compensated delivery. Delivery options include standard, express (48h), and emergency ('Notfalllieferung') service tiers.
- Wood Pellets (Holzpellets): Sale of ENplus/DINplus certified wood pellets in bulk (loose) and bagged (sackware) formats. Customers order by ton/pallet quantities with optional add-on services such as silo cleaning, ash box emptying, hose length extension, and delivery time-slot selection. CO2-compensated delivery included.
- Photovoltaic and Storage Solutions (PV/Speicher): Sale and installation of complete photovoltaic systems with battery storage for residential and commercial properties. Offered as modular packages. Revenue is generated through one-time product and installation fees, with ongoing service and maintenance.
- LNG / Bio-LNG Station Network: Operation of a network of LNG and Bio-LNG fueling stations for heavy-duty trucks (LKW) along German highways. Revenue is generated per-liter/transactions as fleet operators fuel at Knauber stations. Strategic partnerships with 24-Autohöfe and cross-acceptance agreements with AS 24, Verbio, GasCom, and BayWa expand the network reach.
- LPG Trading (Flüssiggas Groβhandel): Wholesale trading of liquefied petroleum gas (propane, butane, Bio-LPG, gas mixtures) to large wholesalers, industrial enterprises, and energy-intensive large-volume consumers. Products sourced via international trade routes (Antwerp) and transported via inland shipping along the Rhine. Flexible pricing options include spot, formula, and fixed-price contracts.
- E-Mobility (Ladestationen): Operation of electric vehicle charging stations ('Hypercharger') at company locations. Revenue generated per charging session. Services also include wallbox packages for residential customers and THG quota ( GHG quota) management for e-vehicle owners.
- KlimaDiesel: Sale of KlimaDiesel25, a climate-friendly diesel substitute for commercial vehicles, through BFT-partner gas stations. Revenue is generated per-liter unit pricing.
- Contracting: Energy contracting solutions for business customers, providing complete energy systems (heating, power) as managed services under long-term contracts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Ökostrom Flex: 3-month flexible eco-electricity tariff with 3-month price guarantee on energy and network costs. |
| Subscription | Annual | Ökostrom Sicher12: 12-month fixed eco-electricity tariff with 12-month price guarantee. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ökostrom GrünAktiv: Eco-electricity from Germany with Grüner Strom-Label certification; 0.5 ct/kWh contributed to regional future projects. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Erdgas Flexibel: Variable natural gas tariff with flexible contract terms and climate project offset. |
| Subscription | Annual | Erdgas Sicher12: 12-month fixed natural gas tariff with price guarantee. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Erdgas Bio15: Natural gas with 15% biogas blend (GEG-compliant). |
| Subscription | Monthly | Erdgas Bio100: 100% biogas natural gas tariff. |
| Subscription | Monthly | GrüneWärme: Heat electricity tariff using 100% hydropower for heat pumps and storage heaters. |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Heizöl DIN schwefelarm: Standard low-sulfur heating oil per 100 liters (net). |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sparheizöl schwefelarm: Premium low-sulfur heating oil with 6–8% savings vs. DIN standard. |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Holzpellets: ENplus/DINplus certified wood pellets, sold in bulk (per ton) or bagged (per pallet). |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | PV/Speicher: Complete photovoltaic and storage packages for residential and commercial properties. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
KNAUBER product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Knauber is a family-owned German energy retailer and solutions provider that sells electricity, natural gas (including biogas blends), heating oil, wood pellets, and heat electricity to residential and commercial customers. The company also installs photovoltaic systems with battery storage, operates LNG and Bio-LNG refueling stations for trucks along German highways, supplies LPG to industrial and wholesale customers, and provides E-mobility charging infrastructure alongside sustainability and contracting services for businesses.
Product overview
Knauber is a German energy company based in Bonn offering a comprehensive portfolio of home and business energy solutions. The core product lines include electricity (Ökostrom) from hydropower, natural gas (Erdgas) including biogas variants, heating oil (Heizöl), wood pellets (Holzpellets), and heating electricity (Wärmestrom) for heat pumps and storage heaters. The company has expanded into mobility solutions with LNG/Bio-LNG refueling stations for trucks, E-mobility charging infrastructure including Hypercharger fast charging stations, and sustainable fuels like KlimaDiesel. For businesses, Knauber provides LPG trading and supply, ProKlima sustainability consulting, contracting services, lubricants, and fleet card solutions with cross-acceptance at multiple station networks. An online customer portal (energieportal.knauber.de) enables contract management, billing, and consumption monitoring. The product architecture combines standardized tariff products (flexible and fixed options) with physical delivery of energy products and installation services for solar and charging solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Knauber Gas: LNG and Bio-LNG fuel station operations for commercial transport
- ProKlima
- Knauber Klimawald
- Knauber LPG Trading & Supply
- KlimaDiesel
- GrüneWärme
- Ökostrom
- GrünAktiv
Products and services
- Ökostrom (Eco-Electricity)
- Erdgas (Natural Gas)
- Wärmestrom / GrüneWärme (Heat Electricity)
- Heizöl (Heating Oil)
- Holzpellets (Wood Pellets)
- Photovoltaik und Speicher (Photovoltaic and Storage)
- LNG/Bio-LNG Tankstellen (Refueling Stations)
- E-Mobilität / Wallbox (E-Mobility and EV Charging)
- LPG Trading & Supply
- KlimaDiesel
- Bio-Flüssiggas / Tankgas (Bio-LPG)
- ProKlima (Sustainability and CO2 Consulting)
- Contracting
- Schmierstoffe (Lubricants)
Quantifiable outcome
- CO2 binding of 3,636 tonnes over 30 years from Klimawald project
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use KNAUBER
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KNAUBER technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
KNAUBER partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AS 24coreKnauber entered into a partnership with AS 24 (a pan-European tank service company) enabling AS 24 fleet customers to pay at all Knauber Bio-LNG stations across Germany using their AS 24 fuel card. This cross-acceptance agreement simplifies billing and route planning for logistics companies operating across both networks.
- GasCom (GasCom-Stationen)coreKnauber Gas customers can now pay with their Knauber LNG fuel card at GasCom stations, and GasCom customers can use their cards at Knauber Bio-LNG stations. This cross-acceptance partnership between the two Bio-LNG providers creates a unified network effect for fleet operators in the Rhineland logistics region.
- VerbiocoreVerbio and Knauber Gas GmbH & Co. KG signed a cooperation for cross-acceptance of their Bio-LNG tank cards. Knauber cards are now accepted at all Verbio stations and BayWa stations, and Verbio cards are accepted at all Knauber Bio-LNG stations. This significantly expands the effective refueling network for customers of both providers.
- Shell PANOLINcoreKnauber serves as a strategic distribution partner for Shell PANOLIN, a brand of biodegradable lubricants. Knauber distributes PANOLIN products (biologically degradable lubricants) to industrial and commercial customers across Germany, leveraging Knauber's established commercial customer base and logistics network.
- 24-Autohöfe (24-TOTAL Autohöfe)coreKnauber and 24-Autohöfe have developed a joint LNG/Bio-LNG station network across Germany, with stations co-located at 24-TOTAL Autohof highway service areas. This long-term strategic partnership has produced at least 5 joint station openings (Cloppenburg, Vöhringen, Lutterberg, Mühldorf am Inn, Wörrstadt) with more planned. Both are family-owned Mittelstand companies with aligned sustainability goals.
- HGK ShippingcoreKnauber collaborates with HGK Shipping, one of Europe's leading inland shipping companies in the energy and bulk cargo sector, for the transport of LPG imports from Antwerp along the Rhine to Duisburg. This partnership secures stable logistics capacity for Knauber's LPG trading operations and ensures reliable supply to national distribution points.
- BayWaminorThrough the Verbio cross-acceptance agreement, Knauber tank cards are also accepted at BayWa stations, extending the effective network reach for Knauber fleet customers through this indirect partnership.
- woodifyminorKnauber partners with the Bonn-based company woodify to lease and protect a 17.34-hectare section of a 350-hectare forest regeneration project in the Oberberg district. The forest is protected for at least 30 years and is expected to bind 3,636 tonnes of CO2. woodify developed the climate protection concept in collaboration with the Hochschule für Nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE).
- K&L-VerlagminorKnauber partners with K&L-Verlag for traffic safety education initiatives in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, supporting child pedestrian safety training and road safety awareness campaigns.
- Jazzfest BonnminorKnauber serves as climate sponsor (Klimasponsor) for Jazzfest Bonn, compensating the festival's CO2 emissions and supporting the event's first-ever CO2 balance sheet in 2024. This partnership supports regional cultural engagement and sustainability positioning.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KNAUBER competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- E.ON: Germany's largest multi-utility serving millions of residential and commercial customers with electricity, gas, and energy services. Directly comparable to KNAUBER across electricity and gas tariff offerings and energy transition services, but at vastly greater national scale.
- EnBW: Major German multi-utility with comparable electricity, gas, heating, and PV/e-mobility consumer offerings. Direct competitor to KNAUBER in the southwestern German regional energy market and in residential PV/storage.
- RWE: Large German utility with significant renewable generation and energy retail operations. Overlaps with KNAUBER in residential/commercial electricity and gas supply and increasingly in energy transition services.
- Shell (Shell PANOLIN partner): Global energy major where KNAUBER is strategic distribution partner for Shell PANOLIN biodegradable lubricants. Comparable in alternative fuels, lubricants distribution, and Bio-LNG/hydrogen transition ambition, though Shell is a global player.
- Vattenfall: European energy retailer with significant German residential and commercial operations in electricity, gas, and heat. Comparable to KNAUBER across consumer energy products and energy transition services, but with pan-European scale.
Regional players
- Stadtwerke Bonn: The local municipal utility in Bonn serving residential and commercial customers with electricity, gas, and district heating. The most direct geographic competitor to KNAUBER's Bonn-anchored retail energy business.
- RheinEnergie: Regional Cologne/Bonn energy utility providing residential and commercial electricity, gas, and heating services. Comparable regional-utility footprint in the same Rhineland market as KNAUBER.
- Gasag: Berlin-based regional gas utility serving residential and commercial customers with natural gas and increasingly with biogas blends and heat solutions. Comparable in gas-led multi-product consumer offerings.
- MVV Energie: German regional energy company with a comparable conventional + renewable energy mix, serving residential and commercial customers with electricity, gas, district heating, and energy services. Similar mid-sized Mittelstand positioning.
Direct peers
- Verbio: German biofuel producer and Bio-LNG/Bio-CNG station operator with cross-card acceptance agreements with KNAUBER. Closest peer in Bio-LNG infrastructure and alternative transport fuels; Verbio also competes for fleet customers in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KNAUBER social profiles
Digital presenceKNAUBER compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
KNAUBER financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KNAUBER leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
KNAUBER subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
KNAUBER funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KNAUBER M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KNAUBER
What does KNAUBER do?
Knauber is a family-owned German energy retailer and solutions provider that sells electricity, natural gas (including biogas blends), heating oil, wood pellets, and heat electricity to residential and commercial customers. The company also installs photovoltaic systems with battery storage, operates LNG and Bio-LNG refueling stations for trucks along German highways, supplies LPG to industrial and wholesale customers, and provides E-mobility charging infrastructure alongside sustainability and contracting services for businesses.
Is KNAUBER a public or private company?
KNAUBER is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was KNAUBER founded?
KNAUBER was founded in 1884. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KNAUBER based?
KNAUBER is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does KNAUBER make money?
Ten revenue lines are on record. Electricity Sales (Ökostrom) is the primary driver. The others are natural Gas Sales (Erdgas), heating Oil (Heizöl), wood Pellets (Holzpellets), photovoltaic and Storage Solutions (PV/Speicher), LNG / Bio-LNG Station Network, LPG Trading (Flüssiggas Groβhandel), E-Mobility (Ladestationen), klimaDiesel and contracting.
Who are KNAUBER's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are E.ON, EnBW, RWE, Shell (Shell PANOLIN partner) and Vattenfall. Regional players are Stadtwerke Bonn, RheinEnergie, Gasag and MVV Energie. Verbio is listed as a direct peer.
Does KNAUBER have an API?
No public API is recorded for KNAUBER.