Bellona Deutschland

What Bellona Deutschland does

Bellona Deutschland is a Berlin-based non-profit environmental organization (gGmbH) founded in 2021 as the German arm of the international Bellona network (originally established in Norway in 1989). It operates as an independent advocacy and policy analysis entity focused on industrial climate protection in the DACH region, with topical concentration on carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon dioxide removal (CDR), hydrogen, green steel, and emerging green lead markets. The organization positions itself as an interlocutor between industry, civil society, and policymakers, producing policy reports, frameworks, and convening multi-stakeholder initiatives.

Its core programmatic outputs include the CCS Forum (co-launched in 2022 with partners including E3G, producing the "CCS Ladder" evaluation framework), the Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation (a multi-stakeholder convening of approximately 100 organizations developing a joint industrial climate neutrality roadmap), and policy submissions on legislation such as the Carbon Management Strategy (CMS) and the Carbon Storage Act (KSpTG). The organization holds formal registration in the German Lobbyregister (R005021), granting it standing in legislative consultations. Technical content is developed by a small team of PhD-level subject-matter experts.

Bellona Deutschland operates as a foundation-funded non-profit (gGmbH) rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue derives from grants and project funding from institutional philanthropic foundations, most visibly the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and Stiftung Mercator (a 2025 grant is confirmed). Its "go-to-market" approach is regulatory and policy-oriented: shaping legislation and industrial decarbonization standards through direct engagement with German federal ministries, parliamentary committees, and EU institutions, augmented by transnational coordination through the broader Bellona network in Oslo, Brussels, and other jurisdictions.

Name

Bellona Deutschland

Legal name

Bellona Deutschland gGmbH

Website

https://de.bellona.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bellona Deutschland is a Berlin-based non-profit (gGmbH, est. 2021) that develops policy frameworks and convenes industry stakeholders to advance industrial decarbonization — CCS, CDR, hydrogen, green steel — in Germany, funded by philanthropic foundations including ECF and Stiftung Mercator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Specific Net-Zero Pathways & Benchmarking (hard-to-abate methodologies) (EUABAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC), GHG Accounting & Net-Zero/Decarbonization Planning (Scopes 1–3) (EUAHAJAC), Offsets & Carbon Removal Procurement Strategy (portfolio design, quality screening) (EUABAKAL), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Climate policy advocacy
• Industrial decarbonization research
• Carbon capture storage
• Carbon dioxide removal
• Environmental NGO services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation funding: As a nonprofit organization (gGmbH), Bellona Deutschland is funded through grants from foundations supporting climate and environmental work. Funding sources mentioned include European Climate Foundation (ECF) and Stiftung Mercator.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bellona Deutschland is a science-based non-profit climate protection organization that conducts policy research, stakeholder dialogue, and advocacy on industrial decarbonization in Germany and the EU. Its work centers on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), sustainable hydrogen, green lead markets, green steel, and green cement, delivered through dialogue platforms such as the CCS Forum and Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation, publications, and direct engagement with policymakers and industry.

Product overview

Bellona Deutschland is a science-based, non-profit climate protection and environmental organization established in Berlin in 2021. Rather than a traditional software product company, Bellona offers a portfolio of advocacy platforms, research publications, and stakeholder dialogue initiatives focused on industrial decarbonization. The core offerings include: the CCS Forum as a dialogue platform for carbon capture and storage stakeholders; the Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation as a networking platform for industrial transformation; and multiple focus areas covering CCS, CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal), hydrogen economy, green steel, green lead markets, and international climate protection. Publications include policy briefs, fact sheets, and position statements on industrial decarbonization topics. The organization facilitates knowledge exchange between civil society, industry, science, and politics to advance climate protection in German and European industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCS Forum: A science-based dialogue platform enabling constructive knowledge transfer between civil society, industry, science and politics to contextualize the debate on CCS as a component of industrial transformation
• Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation

Products and services

• CCS Forum A science-based dialogue platform facilitating knowledge exchange between civil society, industry, science and politics on Carbon Capture and Storage as a component of industrial transformation.
• Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation An information and networking platform bringing together approximately 100 stakeholders from civil society, think tanks, industry, science and politics to anticipate questions on the path to climate-neutral industry.
• CCS Focus Area Research and Advocacy Research and policy advocacy on CO2 capture, transport and permanent geological storage as a component of industrial decarbonization for unavoidable process emissions.
• CDR Focus Area Research and Advocacy Research and advocacy on Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) including DACCS, Bio-CCS, biochar and carbon farming to achieve net-negative emissions required for climate neutrality.
• Sustainable Hydrogen Economy Program Policy recommendations and advocacy for building a sustainable hydrogen economy in Germany, including import strategies, infrastructure development and prioritization for no-regret applications.
• Green Lead Markets Program Policy research and advocacy on establishing green lead markets to accelerate climate-friendly product adoption through public procurement and market-based instruments.
• Green Steel Transformation Program Advocacy for decarbonization pathways in the steel industry through DRI-EAF route using green hydrogen, green lead markets and policy frameworks.
• International Climate Protection Program International climate advocacy including participation in COP summits since 1992, Arctic protection and engagement with EU climate policy through Bellona Europa.
• Climate Policy Publications Research papers, policy briefs, fact sheets and position statements on CCS, CDR, hydrogen, green steel, green cement and industrial transformation topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded German office in 2021 to focus on industrial climate protection
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E3G (Third Generation Environmentality)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Bellona collaborates with E3G on the CCS Ladder framework, a methodology for assessing the climate value of CCS applications in Europe. The CCS Ladder was first published in 2023 and updated to version 2.0 in 2026.
• Sahara Forest ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Bellona developed the Sahara Forest Project concept in 2009 for the Copenhagen climate summit, which subsequently became an independent organization. The project aims to green deserts using solar energy, saltwater, and modern technology for food production.
• GermanwatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication on Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) with Germanwatch and NABU, defining guiding principles for climate-compatible use of CO2.
• NABU (Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication with Germanwatch and NABU on CCU guiding principles for climate-compatible use of CO2.
• LibMod (Liberaler Klimaschutz Moderne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint policy paper on Bio-CCS and biochar with LibMod, examining technical aspects of biogenic carbon removal and policy options.
• Becker Büttner Held (BBH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal expertise provided by BBH for a study on forward-looking legal frameworks for negative emissions in Germany.
• Vordenkwerk Advisory Board MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard members include representatives from: Agora Energiewende, Germanwatch, SKW (Stahl), DGB, German Nature Conservation Ring (DNR), KEI, NABU, NRW.Energy4Climate, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. These organizations participate in strategic dialogue on industrial transformation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Germanwatch: German climate and environmental NGO based in Bonn and Berlin that conducts policy advocacy, research, and stakeholder dialogue on climate protection, sustainable construction, and industrial transformation. Directly comparable to Bellona Deutschland in mandate, German policy focus, and advocacy model, and is an existing joint-publication partner.
• Agora Energiewende: Berlin-based climate policy think tank producing analysis on German and EU energy transition, industrial decarbonization, and hydrogen economy. Highly comparable to Bellona Deutschland on industrial decarbonization policy research and is a current advisory board member of the Vordenkwerk Industrietransformation platform.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): One of Germany's largest environmental NGOs, active in climate, biodiversity, and industrial policy advocacy. Directly comparable on environmental advocacy and is a joint-publication partner with Bellona Deutschland on CCU guiding principles.
• Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH): German environmental and consumer protection NGO active in climate, energy, and industrial policy advocacy. Comparable on German policy influence model, particularly on transport, buildings, and industrial emissions topics adjacent to Bellona's work.
• Bellona Europa: Brussels-based EU office of the same Bellona network, focused on EU climate and industrial policy advocacy. Directly comparable as the EU sister organization with overlapping mandates on CCS, CDR, hydrogen, and industrial transformation.
• Öko-Institut: German applied research institute conducting policy analysis on climate, energy, and industrial decarbonization, including CCS/CCU assessment. Comparable on German industrial climate policy research and frequently co-appears in policy debates.
• E3G (Third Generation Environmentality): European climate think tank focused on accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy, with particular emphasis on CCS and industrial decarbonization. Directly comparable on EU industrial climate policy and is the co-developer of the CCS Ladder methodology with Bellona.
• BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany): Major German environmental federation covering climate, energy, and industrial policy advocacy. Directly comparable on German environmental policy influence and operates competing positions on CCS and industrial decarbonization pathways.

Broad incumbents

• Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe: Umbrella coalition of European climate NGOs coordinating advocacy across EU climate, energy, and industrial policy. Comparable as a coalition and advocacy platform spanning CCS, CDR, and industrial decarbonization topics across multiple national members.

Emerging players

• Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung (PIK): German climate impact research institute providing scientific input to German and EU climate policy. Comparable as a source of climate science input to industrial decarbonization debates and is a Vordenkwerk advisory board member; operates more as research than advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellona-deutschland

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bellona Deutschland