IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG)

What IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG) does

IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG) is a privately held Swiss municipal multi-utility founded in 1869 and headquartered at Fabrikstrasse 8, Interlaken. Operating with approximately 30 employees, the company is the legally designated distribution system operator for electricity, natural gas, and drinking water across the Bödeli region — the municipalities of Interlaken, Matten bei Interlaken, and Unterseen — serving approximately 16,000 residents plus a substantial tourism load from the Jungfrau region. IBI generates roughly 20% of its electricity from ten owned production facilities (five hydroelectric plants including the renewed 900 kW Schifffahrtskanal plant, plus five solar PV installations) and markets a 2025 supply mix of 87% renewable energy; the remainder is procured from the market and from private PV feed-in.

The company's product portfolio spans tiered electricity tariffs (Strom Mini/Midi/Maxi/Maxi Plus/Flex), tiered gas tariffs in Erdgas, Bio50, and 100% Biogas variants, three water pricing tiers (IBI Mix, IBI Prof 10, IBI Prof 30), and a growing stack of energy community and e-mobility services. Proprietary technology platforms include Smart Meter infrastructure (rolling out to all customers by 2027 via Powerline Communication and mobile network), ZEV/vZEV Komfort energy community metering and billing, the LEG (Lokale Elektrizitätsgemeinschaft) platform launching in January 2026, the TOP-40 voluntary solar feed-in limitation program, and the LADESTROM EV charging load management system for multi-unit buildings. IBI's business model is built on regulated recurring revenue from network access fees, energy supply, capacity-based charges, and government-mandated surcharges, supplemented by professional services such as installation safety inspections, GIS and data center services, GEAK energy consulting, and project-based solar community participation.

IBI extends its footprint beyond the three core utilities through management of three AVARI AG district heating networks (since 2022, across six municipalities) using renewable sources, public EV charging at five sites, and a participation in a 29-utility consortium pursuing a stake in Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO). Revenue is generated exclusively through direct, regulated channels within the defined service territory via a physical customer center, the myibi.ch digital customer portal, field operations, and the eCarUp app for public EV charging. The company is publicly committed to climate neutrality by 2035 and publishes annual sustainability reports.

Name

IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG)

Legal name

Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG

Website

https://ibi.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG) is a Swiss municipal multi-utility founded in 1869 that supplies electricity, gas, drinking water, and energy services to approximately 16,000 residents in the Interlaken, Matten, and Unterseen region, operating owned hydro and solar generation, Smart Meter infrastructure, and energy community platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Interlaken

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution & Supply: IBI generates revenue primarily through regulated electricity distribution (network access fees) and electricity supply to ~16,000 inhabitants and businesses in the Interlaken region. IBI sources electricity from its own hydroelectric and PV plants (approx. 20% of supply), private PV producers (feed-in), and market procurement. Revenue includes energy charges, network usage charges, system services, capacity-based charges, and government-mandated surcharges (KEV promotion levy, water/fish protection levy). Tariffs are regulated and published annually.
2. Gas Distribution & Supply: IBI supplies natural gas and biogas to customers in the Bödeli region (connected since 2008). Gas products range from 100% natural gas to 100% biogas. Revenue includes base fees, energy charges per kWh, and CO2 levy on the fossil gas portion. New gas heating customers must purchase at least 50% biogas per cantonal energy regulations.
3. Water Supply: IBI supplies approximately 1.8 million cubic meters of drinking water annually from sources in the Saxettal valley. Water pricing is government-regulated, consisting of a monthly base fee (scaled by load value) and a volumetric charge per cubic meter. IBI also earns revenue from installation control services for water systems.
4. Grid Feed-in / Solar Buy-back: IBI purchases surplus electricity from private PV producers at quarterly market-reflective prices (referenced to BFE reference market price) and pays a separate feed-in tariff for origin certificates (HKN) at 2.50 Rp./kWh (2026). Combined with the TOP-40 bonus, this creates a differentiated buy-back product.
5. ZEV / vZEV Billing Services: IBI provides metering, billing, and collection services for ZEV and vZEV energy communities (ZEV Komfort product). The company charges monthly fees per meter point, per measurement point, and per billing processing per participant. This generates recurring service fee revenue.
6. Public EV Charging: IBI operates public EV charging stations at 4 locations (Florastrasse, Strandbadstrasse, Tellweg, Beatenbergstrasse) with 2x22 kW charging capacity. Revenue is generated through charging fees paid via the eCarUp app.
7. LADESTROM (Private EV Charging Infrastructure): IBI installs and manages EV charging infrastructure in private properties (multi-unit buildings). Revenue includes one-time setup/consulting fees and recurring monthly fees for load management, billing, and support, plus electricity charges at published tariffs.
8. Installation Control Services: IBI is legally mandated to conduct periodic electrical, gas, and water installation safety inspections in its service territory. Revenue comes from inspection fees charged to property owners. Inspection intervals range from 1 to 20 years depending on installation type and hazard level.
9. GIS & Geospatial Services: IBI offers GIS products including data hosting, webGIS access, surveying, staking, and data management services for third-party customers (municipalities, engineering firms). Pricing is project-based and customized.
10. CNG / Biofuel Sales (phasing out): IBI previously operated a CNG (compressed natural gas) refueling station at LANDI Jungfrau AG, selling CNG with minimum 20% biogas content. This station is closing on 31 July 2026 due to declining demand.
11. Energy Advisory Services: IBI provides energy consulting services (building energy labels, general energy advice) for a fee of CHF 130 per hour. These services support customers in planning heating transitions and energy efficiency improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

IBI is a regulated regional multi-utility company serving approximately 16,000 residents and businesses in the Interlaken/Bödeli region of Switzerland. The company distributes electricity (with own hydroelectric and solar production covering ~20% of supply), natural gas and biogas, and drinking water sourced from springs in the Saxettal valley, alongside energy community platforms, EV charging infrastructure, district heating via AVARI AG, GIS services, and energy consulting. IBI is committed to climate neutrality by 2035 and sources 87% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Product overview

IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG) is a regional multi-utility operator serving approximately 16,000 residents in the Interlaken area (Bödeli) with electricity, gas, drinking water, and energy-related services. The electricity portfolio spans five named tariff products (Strom Mini, Midi, Maxi, Maxi Plus, Flex) segmented by customer consumption level, alongside renewable energy add-on programs including TOP-40 (limited-feed solar solidarity scheme), ZEV & vZEV Komfort (meter-managed energy sharing communities), ZEV & vZEV Privat (self-managed energy sharing), Lokale Elektrizitätsgemeinschaft (LEG, a municipality-level solar trading community), and Plug & Play micro-PV installations. The E-mobility suite includes LADESTROM (intelligent multi-user EV charging management) and public charging stations. IBI operates 10 local production plants (hydropower and solar, covering ~20% of supply) and is rolling out Smart Meters to all customers by 2027. The gas portfolio offers three tariff tiers (Gas Mini, Maxi, Maxi plus) in Erdgas, Bio50 (50% biogas), or 100% Biogas variants, plus a CNG refueling station closing in July 2026. The water portfolio is structured in three volume-based tiers (IBI Mix, IBI Prof 10, IBI Prof 30). Supporting services include a customer portal (myibi.ch), GIS/Geoinformation system offerings, a data center, energy consulting (including GEAK building certification), billing services, installation inspections, and district heating via the associated company AVARI AG.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LADESTROM: Charging and billing system for electric vehicle charging stations, providing comprehensive charging solutions for properties.

Products and services

• Strom Mini Entry-level electricity supply product for households and small commercial customers with connection values under 30 kVA and annual consumption under 50,000 kWh. Includes energy charge, network usage, system services, power reserve, solidarity charge, municipal levies, KEV promotion levy, and fish protection levy components. Valid 1 January – 31 December 2026.
• Strom Midi Medium-tier electricity product for commercial and industrial customers with connection values of 30 kVA or more and annual consumption between 50,000 and 250,000 kWh. Includes capacity charge (CHF 5.00/kW/month), reactive energy charge, and fish protection levy.
• Strom Maxi Large-volume electricity supply product for commercial and industrial customers with annual consumption exceeding 250,000 kWh. Includes higher capacity charge (CHF 11.00/kW/month) and KEV levy.
• Strom Maxi Plus Highest-tier electricity product for industrial customers with their own transformer station, delivery at network level 5. Includes low-voltage measurement surcharge (2.5%), reduced energy rate, and capacity charge (CHF 7.20/kW/month).
• Strom Flex Flexible electricity product designed for operators of fixed, interruptible electrical consumers (heat pumps, EV chargers, electric heating) interruptible up to 2x2 hours per day. No longer offered to new customers.
• Strom Rückliefervergütung Remuneration scheme for private producers feeding surplus electricity back into IBI's distribution grid, with quarterly market-reflective prices and optional sale of origin certificates (HKN) at 2.50 Rp./kWh (2026). Quarterly tariff structure referenced to BFE market price.
• Gas Mini Entry-level gas product for customers with annual gas consumption up to 50,000 kWh, available in Erdgas (100% natural gas), Bio50/Standard (50% biogas), or Biogas (100%) variants. Includes CO2 levy on fossil portion. New gas heating customers must purchase at least 50% biogas per cantonal regulations.
• Gas Maxi Medium-volume gas product for customers with annual consumption between 50,000 and 500,000 kWh, with Erdgas, Bio50, and Biogas variants at differentiated pricing.
• Gas Maxi Plus Industrial gas product for commercial customers with annual consumption exceeding 500,000 kWh, with differentiated pricing for process customers (CHF 10.50/kW/year capacity charge) and interruptible loads (CHF 3.20/kW/year).
• Wasser (IBI Mix / IBI Prof) Drinking water supply sourced from springs in the Saxettal valley with tiered volume-based pricing: IBI Mix (up to 5,000 m³/year at CHF 1.20/m³), IBI Prof Water 10 (5,000–10,000 m³ at CHF 1.10/m³), IBI Prof Water 30 (10,000–30,000 m³ at CHF 1.05/m³), plus monthly base fee scaled by load value.
• ZEV & vZEV Komfort Full-service comfort package for physical (ZEV) and virtual (vZEV) energy sharing communities. IBI rents calibrated meters, reads consumption data via 15-minute Smart Meter intervals, and manages billing and collections for community participants. Monthly fees per meter point, measurement point, and per billing per participant.
• Lokale Elektrizitätsgemeinschaft (LEG)

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% renewable electricity in 2025 supply mix (74% hydropower, 7% solar, 6% subsidized green power)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026IBI is part of a consortium of 29 Bernese energy utilities seeking to acquire a significant ownership stake in Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO), a major hydroelectric power producer in the Bernese Oberland. A formal consortium agreement was concluded to strengthen Bernese utilities' participation in KWO ahead of the expiry of KWO's water usage concessions in 2042.
• AVARI AG (Wärme Bödeli AG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IBI holds a stake in Wärme Bödeli AG (which owns 75% of AVARI AG) alongside EBL and the municipalities of Unterseen and Matten. Since 2022, IBI has been responsible for the local management of AVARI AG, which operates three district heating networks using renewable sources (energy wood, recycling wood, waste heat from treated wastewater) across six municipalities in the Bödeli region. This partnership extends IBI's energy offering beyond electricity, gas, and water into sustainable heating solutions.
• Pronovo AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationIBI integrates with Pronovo AG for the trading of origin certificates (HKN - Herkunftsnachweise) from renewable energy producers. Pronovo AG is the Swiss government-certified body for issuing and trading origin guarantees. IBI purchases HKN from PV producers who are Pronovo-certified, enabling IBI to market its electricity supply with verified renewable origin.
• LANDI Jungfrau AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBI previously operated a CNG (compressed natural gas) refueling station at the LANDI Jungfrau AG site in Interlaken, selling CNG with minimum 20% biogas content. This station is closing on 31 July 2026 due to declining demand. LANDI provided the physical site/location for the fueling infrastructure.
• Gemeinden Interlaken, Matten, UnterseencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBI collaborates with the three municipalities (Interlaken, Matten, Unterseen) on joint energy planning initiatives including the Überkommunaler Richtplan Energie 'Bödeli' (municipal energy master plan), the Wärmekarte Bödeli online planning tool, the shared IBI GIS platform, and public lighting services. IBI is also partially owned by the municipality of Interlaken.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BKW AG: Large Swiss energy group headquartered in Bern with generation, distribution, and services across multiple cantons — broader incumbent also participating in the KWO consortium alongside IBI; relevant for benchmarking larger-scale utility economics and Swiss energy-market context.
• Energie Wasser Bern (ewb): Larger municipal multi-utility serving the Bern region with electricity, gas, water, district heating, telecom, and EV charging — broader incumbent operating in the same canton as IBI, with overlapping capabilities and a larger scale reference point.
• CKW (Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke): Major Central Switzerland utility with generation, distribution, and energy services across multiple cantons — broader incumbent comparable for grid operations, hydropower assets, and Swiss energy-market benchmarking.

Direct peers

• AEW Energie AG: Regional Swiss energy utility supplying electricity, gas, and energy services in Aargau with own generation and grid operations — comparable mid-sized multi-utility profile and Swiss regulatory context.
• Regio Energie Solothurn: Regional Swiss utility operating electricity, gas, water, and heating networks in Solothurn — comparable mid-sized Swiss municipal/regional utility with similar regulated distribution profile.
• EBL (Genossenschaft Elektra Baselland): Swiss regional multi-utility cooperative distributing electricity, gas, water, and heat in the Baselland region with own production assets and energy-community services — closely comparable to IBI's integrated distribution + production + community-platform model.
• Stadtwerk Winterthur: Municipal utility of Winterthur supplying electricity, gas, water, district heating, and telecom services — directly comparable in scope, Swiss municipal-utility structure, and integrated energy/warming offerings.
• Energie Thun AG: Municipal multi-utility serving the Thun/Thunersee region with electricity, gas, water, district heating, and telecom services — directly comparable to IBI in scope, Swiss mid-sized municipal scale, and integrated offerings.
• IWB (Industrielle Werke Basel): Municipal multi-utility of Basel providing electricity, natural gas/biogas, district heating, drinking water, and EV charging — directly comparable multi-utility product portfolio and Swiss municipal-utility governance model.

Regional players

• Romande Energie: Regional utility serving French-speaking Switzerland with electricity distribution, generation, and energy services — comparable Swiss multi-utility operating in a different linguistic/geographic region than IBI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ibienergie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibi-energie
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibi_energie

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 IBI (Industrielle Betriebe Interlaken AG)