HIER

What HIER does

Klimaatstichting HIER (operating as HIER) is a Dutch non-profit foundation (stichting) headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, operating an information and decision-support platform that helps Dutch consumers, energy cooperatives, municipalities, and businesses with energy savings, green energy selection, and home decarbonization (moving off natural gas). The organization was founded in 2006 (per firmographic record; a separate source cites 2016) and employs approximately 191 staff. HIER's core technology is a digital platform comprising interactive deterministic calculators and checkers — Groene stroom checker (green electricity origin verification), Zonnepanelen checker (solar payback estimate), Warmtepomp bespaarchecker (heat-pump payback), Douche bespaarchecker (shower savings) — alongside a community peer-review feature (SlimmeBuren overzicht), an extensive Dutch-language content library organized by theme (energy saving, green energy, gas-free living), and a paid HIER Kennisbank for energy professionals and municipal staff.

The organization also produces the annual Lokale Energie Monitor — co-published with Energie Samen — which is the only comprehensive longitudinal dataset tracking Dutch citizen energy cooperatives and their collective solar, wind, heat, and savings activity, covering 700+ cooperatives across 89% of Dutch municipalities. HIER's business model is hybrid: the consumer-facing website, articles, and checkers are free (supported by Nationale Postcode Loterij funding, Interreg NWE/Decarb Pro grants, donations, and partnership income); the HIER Kennisbank is offered as a paid subscription for professionals and municipalities. The organization holds ANBI (Dutch public benefit) status, signaling independence from commercial energy interests. Customer segmentation spans four groups — Dutch consumers/households (primary), energy cooperatives and citizen initiatives (700+ tracked), municipalities and energy professionals (paid Kennisbank users), and businesses seeking sustainability content/partnerships — distributed through the HIER website, the cooperative reseller network, municipal channels, paid Kennisbank platform, and recurring events (Climate Comedy Night, Klimaatweek, HIER opgewekt). Recent strategic emphasis has expanded into municipal advisory tools, exemplified by the late-2025 Wegwijzer Gemeentelijke Emissiereductie co-developed with NVDE and SKAO.

Name

HIER

Legal name

Klimaatstichting HIER

Website

https://hier.nu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HIER (Klimaatstichting HIER) is a Utrecht-based Dutch non-profit foundation operating a free consumer platform and paid professional knowledge bank that helps Dutch households, energy cooperatives, municipalities, and businesses save energy, choose green energy, and transition off natural gas, while publishing the annual Lokale Energie Monitor tracking 700+ Dutch citizen energy cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Climate and Energy Advisory Services

NAICS

Administrative and Support Services (561), Facilities Support Services (561210)

SIC

Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Energy Engagement (In-Home Displays, Portals, Usage Insights) (EUADAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential & Multi-Family BTM Storage (Home Batteries, Apartment Systems) (EUAFAJAE)

Keywords

• Climate advisory services
• Energy transition tools
• Non-profit foundation
• Sustainability platform
• Renewable energy guidance

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

HIER operates an information and advisory platform that helps Dutch households, energy cooperatives, municipalities, and businesses navigate energy savings and the energy transition. It delivers free interactive decision-support tools (energy checkers), community features, knowledge resources, and an annual local energy monitor, complemented by a paid professional knowledge bank and annual event programs such as Klimaatweek.

Product overview

HIER (Klimaatstichting HIER) is a Dutch climate foundation operating an information and advisory platform to help individuals, neighborhoods, and businesses with energy saving and the energy transition. The platform consists of multiple interactive tools (checkers and calculators), community features, knowledge resources, and event programs. The core tool portfolio includes the Groene stroom checker, Zonnepanelen checker, SlimmeBuren overzicht, Douche bespaarchecker, and Warmtepomp bespaarchecker, which help users assess green energy contracts, solar panel viability, and energy savings. The HIER Kennisbank provides professional content and guides for municipalities and businesses, while the Lokale Energie Monitor tracks national energy cooperative activity. The organization also runs awareness programs including the annual Klimaatweek and Climate Comedy Night events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Groene Stroom Checker (Green Electricity Checker) Interactive online tool that helps Dutch consumers evaluate whether their electricity contract is truly green and compare sustainable energy suppliers.
• Zonnepanelen Checker (Solar Panels Checker) Online decision-support tool that helps households assess the suitability, yield, and payback period of rooftop solar panels.
• Douche BespaarChecker (Shower Savings Checker) Interactive calculator that helps households estimate potential savings from reduced shower time or alternative water-heating solutions.
• Warmtepomp BespaarChecker (Heat Pump Savings Checker) Calculator that helps households model potential savings and CO2 reductions from switching to a heat pump system.
• SlimmeBuren (Smart Neighbours) Online community platform connecting Dutch residents, energy cooperatives, and local initiatives to share sustainability projects and organise neighbourhood-level energy action.
• Lokale Energie Monitor (Local Energy Monitor) Annual research report that maps and benchmarks the progress of local Dutch renewable-energy initiatives, citizen cooperatives, and municipality programmes.
• HIER Kennisbank (HIER Knowledge Bank) Subscription-based professional knowledge platform providing in-depth articles, toolkits, and best-practice guidance for energy professionals, municipalities, and organisations running local energy-transition projects.
• Klimaatweek (Climate Week) Annual nationwide event programme organised by HIER that convenes citizens, businesses, and municipalities around workshops and activities that accelerate the energy transition.
• Climate Comedy Night Public-facing event series using comedy to engage Dutch audiences with climate-change themes and energy-transition behaviour change.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Lokale Energie Monitor 2023 tracks 714 energy cooperatives active in 89% of Dutch municipalities, with 131,000 members/participants and 319 MWp collective solar capacity + 336 MW wind capacity.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Energie SamencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergie Samen is the national association of Dutch energy cooperatives. HIER and Energie Samen jointly publish the annual Lokale Energie Monitor, the definitive report on citizen energy initiatives in the Netherlands. This co-publishing partnership is the core analytical product of both organizations.
• ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling)coreOthersANBI is a Dutch public benefit organization status granted by the tax authority. HIER holds ANBI status, which signals to donors and partners that contributions are tax-deductible and the organization serves a genuine public purpose.
• NVDE (Nederlandse Vereniging Duurzame Energie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVDE is the Dutch association for sustainable energy. Together with SKAO, HIER co-developed the 'Wegwijzer Gemeentelijke Emissiereductie' (Guide for Municipal Emission Reduction), launched in late 2025. This joint initiative provides municipalities with a practical toolkit to achieve climate goals.
• SKAO (Stichting Klimaatvriendelijk Aanbesteden en Ondernemen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKAO is the Foundation for Climate-Friendly Procurement and Entrepreneurship. Together with NVDE, HIER co-developed the 'Wegwijzer Gemeentelijke Emissiereductie', providing municipalities with a step-by-step climate plan framework and an inspiration book of impactful local measures.
• Common Futures (research bureau)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommon Futures is the research consultancy that developed the Wegwijzer Gemeentelijke Emissiereductie on commission from NVDE, HIER, and SKAO. They created both the step-by-step plan and the inspiration book for municipal climate action.
• Dutch municipalities (700+)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerHIER works with municipalities across the Netherlands, providing communication tools, background information, and examples to support municipality-wide energy-saving programs and neighborhood-level decarbonization initiatives. The organization explicitly lists municipalities and professionals as a target segment.
• Dutch energy cooperatives (700+)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDutch energy cooperatives form the primary community network through which HIER distributes content, tools, and the Lokale Energie Monitor. HIER's toolkit allows cooperatives to republish HIER articles on their own websites, effectively making them distribution partners for climate content.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Urgenda: Urgenda is a Dutch sustainability organization driving climate action and the landmark Urgenda court case, comparable in mission, ANBI non-profit structure, and Dutch public-benefit positioning.
• Energie Samen: Energie Samen is the national Dutch association of energy cooperatives and HIER's co-publisher of the Lokale Energie Monitor, directly comparable as an ecosystem convener for citizen energy initiatives.
• Natuur & Milieu: Natuur & Milieu is a major Dutch environmental non-profit with similar ANBI status, comparable headcount scale, and overlapping public-benefit mission around climate and energy transition awareness.
• Milieu Centraal: Milieu Centraal is the leading Dutch non-profit advising consumers on energy saving, sustainable living, and home sustainability — directly overlapping HIER's consumer-facing tools and articles on energy, insulation, and heat pumps.
• Klimaatverbond Nederland: Klimaatverbond Nederland is a Dutch coalition of municipalities working on local climate policy, comparable as a Dutch local-climate convening organization with overlapping municipal and citizen-engagement scope.
• NVDE (Nederlandse Vereniging Duurzame Energie): NVDE is the Dutch association for sustainable energy and HIER's co-development partner on the Wegwijzer Gemeentelijke Emissiereductie, directly comparable as a Dutch energy-transition knowledge and advocacy body.

Others

• RVO (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland): RVO is the Dutch government agency administering sustainability subsidies and energy programs, comparable as an ecosystem participant providing authoritative data HIER's tools and articles reference.

Broad incumbents

• EcoAct: EcoAct is an international climate consulting and advisory firm, comparable as a broader, larger player offering corporate climate strategy and engagement services in adjacent territory to HIER's professional knowledge platform.
• Consumentenbond: Consumentenbond is the Dutch consumer association offering energy comparison and household advice, comparable as a larger, broader Dutch consumer-information incumbent with overlapping energy content.

Emerging players

• CE Delft: CE Delft is an independent Dutch research organization producing applied environmental and energy research and reports, comparable as a niche Dutch player publishing authoritative energy data and analysis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HIERKlimaatbureau
• Facebookfacebook.com/klimaatstichtinghier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hier-klimaatcampagne
• Instagraminstagram.com/hierklimaatstichting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 HIER