What Stadtwerke Greifswald does

Stadtwerke Greifswald GmbH is a 100% municipally owned utility company headquartered in Greifswald, Germany, founded in 1991 and operating under the ownership of the Universitäts- und Hansestadt Greifswald. The company provides integrated infrastructure services to approximately 70,000 customers across the Vorpommern region, spanning electricity supply (via the regiostrom and GREIFENstrom brands, with GREIFENstrom certified under the ok-power seal as 100% renewable hydropower), natural gas (GREIFENgas), district heating (Fernwärme via CHP systems), drinking water, and municipal wastewater management. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Verkehrsbetrieb Greifswald GmbH (VBG, founded 1992-03-26), the company also operates public bus transport across three lines covering 69+ km and serving roughly 2 million passengers annually, plus the Friedrich on-demand ride-pooling service launched in March 2023, which connects 250+ virtual stops via app and telephone booking and won 1st place in the ACE nationwide test of on-demand ÖPNV offerings in November 2024.

The underlying technology stack is grounded in regulated utility infrastructure — power, gas, water, and district heating networks, plus a wastewater treatment Eigenbetrieb — augmented by smart metering operations (Messstellenbetrieb), an EU-funded electric fleet of 13 vehicles (12 of 13 co-financed by the European Union), and a bio-erdgas city bus fleet of 16 vehicles. The Friedrich mobility platform integrates Google Maps API for routing and ETA, LogPay Financial Services for SEPA/credit card/PayPal payment processing, Urban Airship for push engagement, and Firebase Crashlytics for crash reporting; dynamic passenger information displays (DFI) at bus stops have been in place since 2015. The Freizeitbad Greifswald leisure facility adds a separate operational business line operated via a dedicated subsidiary (Schwimmbad und Anlagen Greifswald GmbH), and a separate Innovationsgesellschaft subsidiary houses innovation activities.

Revenue is generated predominantly through recurring regulated utility tariffs (electricity, gas, water, district heating, wastewater) charged to residential and commercial customers across Greifswald and Grimmen, supplemented by transaction-based fare revenue from public transport (single tickets, time passes, monthly subscriptions, Deutschlandticket) and Friedrich on-demand fares. Distribution combines a self-serve Powercommerce online portal, the Friedrich iOS/Android app, two physical customer centers (Greifswald at Gützkower Landstraße 19–21; Grimmen at Markt 2), the Mobilitätszentrale at the ZOB, and direct grid-connection sales for property developers and industrial customers. With 291+ employees, a supervisory board chaired by Dr. Arthur König, and CEO Thomas Prauße, the entity operates under public-service cost-covering economics rather than profit-maximization, governed as a 100% kommunal GmbH registered at Amtsgericht Stralsund (HRB 613).

Name

Stadtwerke Greifswald

Legal name

Stadtwerke Greifswald GmbH

Website

https://sw-greifswald.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stadtwerke Greifswald GmbH is a municipally owned German utility delivering electricity, gas, district heating, water, wastewater, and public transport services, including the Friedrich on-demand mobility platform, to roughly 70,000 customers in Greifswald and the Vorpommern region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Utility Services

NAICS

Utilities (221), Electric Power Distribution (221122), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Power Districts & State/Provincial Utilities (EUADABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gravity Sewer Collection Networks (Sanitary Sewers) (EUANACAA), Grid Interconnection, Power Quality & Electrical Infrastructure Service (Transformers, Switchgear) (TLAKAMAM)

Keywords

• Municipal utility services
• Electricity supply
• District heating
• Drinking water supply
• Public transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Greifswald

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Energy Supply (Electricity, Gas): Supply of electricity and natural gas to residential and commercial customers in the Vorpommern region. Electricity products include regiostrom for Vorpommern and GREIFENstrom. Gas tariffs for private and commercial customers. Revenue generated through energy commodity sales with associated grid fees.
2. District Heating (Fernwärme): District heating supply with various supply variants. Managed through Fernwärmebündnis and Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung (CHP) systems.
3. Water Supply: Natural drinking water supply and water network management for Greifswald and surrounding areas. Trinkwasser quality management.
4. Wastewater Management (Abwasserwerk): Municipal wastewater collection and treatment as an Eigenbetrieb (municipal enterprise) of the Universitäts- und Hansestadt Greifswald. Handles drainage and disposal of sewage and stormwater.
5. Public Transport (ÖPNV): City bus services with 3 bus lines, approximately 2 million passengers annually. Revenue from ticket sales, including single tickets, day passes, weekly passes, monthly passes, and Deutschlandticket subscription. Additional revenue from on-demand 'Friedrich' service.
6. Leisure Facility (Freizeitbad): Recreation swimming facility (Freizeitbad Greifswald) open to the public for swimming, wellness, and leisure activities.
7. Network Operation: Grid operation for electricity, gas, water, and district heating as the local grid operator (Netzbetreiber) for Greifswald and surrounding municipalities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stadtwerke Greifswald is a 100% municipal utility supplying electricity, natural gas, district heating, drinking water, and wastewater services to residential and commercial customers in the Greifswald and Vorpommern region. The company also operates public city bus transport (ÖPNV) through its subsidiary Verkehrsbetrieb Greifswald GmbH and an on-demand ride-pooling service called Friedrich, alongside a public leisure swimming facility (Freizeitbad).

Product overview

Stadtwerke Greifswald is a 100% municipal utility company providing integrated energy and mobility services for Greifswald and surrounding Vorpommern region. The portfolio comprises energy products (electricity via GREIFENstrom/regiostrom brands, GREIFENgas, Fernwärme district heating), water and wastewater services (Trinkwasser, Abwasserentsorgung), and mobility solutions (city bus ÖPNV with bio-natural gas fleet, on-demand service 'Friedrich' with ride-pooling). Supporting infrastructure includes E-mobility charging stations, smart metering, and grid operations. The company also operates a leisure swimming facility. Services are delivered through online portals, customer centers, and mobile apps including the Friedrich app for on-demand transport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friedrich: On-demand mobility service (On-De-Mo) operated by Verkehrsbetrieb Greifswald GmbH, offering ride-pooling via app and telephone booking in Greifswald.
• regiostrom
• GREIFENstrom
• VBG (Verkehrsbetrieb Greifswald)

Products and services

• GREIFENstrom (Ökostrom) Standard electricity product for private and commercial customers in Greifswald, providing 100% electricity from renewable sources (hydropower) certified by the ok-power label with no minimum contract duration and 14-day cancellation notice.
• regiostrom for Vorpommern Regional electricity product offering competitive pricing (26.05 ct/kWh vs 42.65 ct/kWh national average) for customers in Vorpommern-Greifswald and Vorpommern-Rügen areas, covering 15+ municipalities including Ahlbeck, Anklam, Heringsdorf, Karlshagen, Koserow, Lubmin, and others.
• GREIFENgas Natural gas supply product for private and commercial customers in Greifswald with various tariff options.
• Fernwärme (District Heating) District heating service providing environmentally friendly heating via combined heat and power (CHP) systems with various supply variants. Part of the company's heating strategy for climate protection.
• Trinkwasser (Drinking Water) Natural drinking water supply sourced from regional waterworks, delivered to customers in Greifswald and surrounding areas with consumption-based pricing.
• Abwasserentsorgung (Wastewater) Wastewater drainage and treatment services provided by the Abwasserwerk Greifswald, an Eigenbetrieb (municipal enterprise) of Universitäts- und Hansestadt Greifswald, handling sewage and stormwater disposal.
• ÖPNV / Stadtbusverkehr (City Bus Service) City bus public transport service with 3 bus lines transporting approximately 2 million passengers annually across 69+ km of network. Fleet operates on bio-natural gas (16 buses), with Dynamic Passenger Information (DFI) displays at bus stops since 2015.
• Friedrich On-Demand Mobility App-based and telephone-bookable ride-pooling on-demand mobility service operating in Greifswald without fixed schedules or routes, connecting over 250 virtual stops to regular ÖPNV bus lines. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles, up to 6 passengers sharing, named after Caspar-David-Friedrich. First place in ACE Automobilclub Europa nationwide test (November 2024).
• Freizeitbad Greifswald Public leisure swimming facility operated by the Schwimmbad und Anlagen Greifswald GmbH subsidiary, offering regular swimming, relaxation, and wellness services to the public.
• E-Mobilität (EV Charging) Electric vehicle charging infrastructure including charging locations, charging cards, and THG (green electricity) subsidy services for EV owners across the Greifswald service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54 tonnes CO2 avoided per bio-erdgas bus per year compared to diesel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Schlichtungsstelle söpminorOthersOmbudsman service for public transport (Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr e.V.) providing dispute resolution for passenger complaints.
• Fahrgastverband Pro BahnminorOthersPassenger association that awarded the Deutscher Fahrgastpreis 2016 to VBG for good solutions developed under budget constraints.
• Universitäts- und Hansestadt GreifswaldcoreOthersAs a 100% municipal company (100% kommunal), Stadtwerke Greifswald is owned by the city and performs public service tasks (Daseinsvorsorge) including energy supply, water, wastewater, and public transport.
• Stadtwerke OsnabrückminorOthersThrough city partnership (Städtepartnerschaft), Stadtwerke Osnabrück donated 9 MAN SG 192 articulated buses to Greifswald in 1990, marking the first low-floor buses in the city.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• N-ERGIE AG: Municipal utility serving Nürnberg and surrounding regions with electricity, gas, water, and district heating. Comparable mid-sized German Stadtwerke operating a vertically integrated regulated and retail energy business.
• Mainova AG: Frankfurt-based municipal multi-utility supplying electricity, gas, water, district heating, and mobility services. Highly comparable vertically integrated Stadtwerke model with a similar mix of regulated and competitive energy products.
• Technische Werke Ludwigshafen AG (TWL): Municipal multi-utility in Ludwigshafen providing electricity, gas, water, district heating, and telecommunications. Comparable mid-sized German municipal utility with an integrated service portfolio similar to Stadtwerke Greifswald.
• Stadtwerke Stralsund GmbH: Municipal utility serving Stralsund, a neighboring Hanseatic city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Provides an integrated portfolio of energy, water, and mobility services and is one of the closest like-for-like comparables in terms of city size and operating model.
• WEMAG AG: Regional energy utility headquartered in Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, supplying electricity, gas, and heat to households and businesses across MV. Comparable product portfolio and regional footprint within the same federal state as Stadtwerke Greifswald.
• Stadtwerke Rostock GmbH: Municipal multi-utility serving Rostock and the surrounding region in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Directly comparable as a similarly sized Stadtwerke offering electricity, gas, district heating, water, public transport, and leisure facilities within the same federal state.

Broad incumbents

• E.DIS AG: E.ON subsidiary operating the electricity and gas distribution grids across large parts of eastern Germany, including Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A broader incumbent whose grid operations directly overlap with the territory where Stadtwerke Greifswald operates its distribution network.
• envia Mitteldeutsche Energie AG (enviaM): Regional energy company supplying electricity, gas, and heat across Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Thuringia. Large incumbent competitor offering overlapping utility services in eastern Germany with broader geographic reach than Stadtwerke Greifswald.
• Leipziger Gruppe (Stadtwerke Leipzig): Leipzig municipal group combining Stadtwerke Leipzig with water, housing, and mobility services. A larger municipal utility operator with overlapping energy, water, wastewater, and public transport activities, providing a scaled benchmark for the Stadtwerke model.
• Stadtwerke München GmbH (SWM): Munich's municipal utility, one of Germany's largest Stadtwerke, operating electricity, district heating (with major renewable expansion), natural gas, water, public transport (MVG), and swimming facilities. Demonstrates the upper-bound potential of the integrated municipal utility and mobility model that Stadtwerke Greifswald operates at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 Stadtwerke Greifswald