Solar Ruhr
Solar Ruhr Gruppe is a German photovoltaic corporate group delivering residential, industrial, and utility-scale solar solutions through three subsidiaries (ON-Energy, PV-International, Der Solarteur), while also supplying solar components wholesale to installers nationwide from its Dortmund headquarters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersDortmund, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Solar Ruhr does
Solar Ruhr GmbH is a privately held German photovoltaic corporate group (Unternehmensgruppe) headquartered at Am Kai 22 in Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen. The group operates through three wholly-owned subsidiaries: ON-Energy, which handles planning and project development of ground-mounted photovoltaic systems; PV-International, a nationwide wholesale distributor of solar components and complete systems; and Der Solarteur, a general contractor for turnkey small PV rooftop installations and energy concepts. The combined group structure covers the full PV value chain from planning and component supply to installation and project development.
The company serves multiple customer segments: residential homeowners seeking small single-family solar installations, industrial and commercial property owners looking for rooftop photovoltaic systems, utility-scale solar power plant developers (Solarkraftwerke), and B2B solar installers and developers purchasing components through the wholesale arm. The business runs a dual go-to-market motion combining direct-to-consumer project work (small residential, industrial rooftop, utility-scale) with a nationwide wholesale trading partnership supplying solar installers and developers across Germany. Core technology is conventional solar photovoltaic systems with no proprietary features or digital platform components disclosed.
Solar Ruhr generates revenue through two primary streams: hardware sales of solar components and complete systems via PV-International, and professional services acting as general contractor for turnkey PV rooftop installations via Der Solarteur. The company is managed by two Geschäftsführer (managing directors), Rolf Benken and Norman Luth, with no disclosed external investment, venture capital, or private equity involvement. Operating geographies are confined to Germany with no international expansion evidenced in the source material, and no public revenue figure is disclosed.
Solar Ruhr firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solar Ruhr
- Legal name
- Solar Ruhr GmbH
- Website
- https://solar-ruhr.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Solar Ruhr Gruppe is a German photovoltaic corporate group delivering residential, industrial, and utility-scale solar solutions through three subsidiaries (ON-Energy, PV-International, Der Solarteur), while also supplying solar components wholesale to installers nationwide from its Dortmund headquarters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solar Ruhr industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Energy Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ), Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), PV Balance of System (BOS) & Electrical Infrastructure (Inverters, Transformers, Cabling, Substations) (EUACAGAC)
Keywords
Where Solar Ruhr is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dortmund
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Solar Ruhr business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Solar Component Trading: Operates as a nationwide trading partner for solar components and complete systems, serving solar installers and developers across Germany.
- General Contractor Services: Provides turnkey realization of small PV rooftop systems and energy concepts as a general contractor.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Solar Ruhr product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solar Ruhr Gruppe provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions through three operating subsidiaries: ON-Energy plans and develops utility-scale ground-mounted PV systems, PV-International is a wholesale distributor of solar components and complete systems for installers across Germany, and Der Solarteur acts as a general contractor for turnkey small PV rooftop installations and energy concepts. The group sells complete PV systems, solar components, and project-based installation services to residential homeowners, industrial property owners, solar power plant developers, and solar installers nationwide in Germany.
Product overview
Solar Ruhr is a corporate group (Unternehmensgruppe) that provides photovoltaic systems and solar energy solutions. The group comprises a unified core offering (Solar Ruhr GmbH) and three specialized subsidiaries: ON-Energy handles planning and project development of photovoltaic ground-mounted systems; PV-International serves as a wholesale distributor for solar components and complete systems nationwide; and Der Solarteur acts as a general contractor for turnkey small PV rooftop installations and energy concepts. The group offers solar solutions spanning the entire value chain from residential rooftop systems to industrial-scale solar power plants, while also serving as a reliable trading partner for solar installers and developers throughout Germany.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Solar Systems
- Industrial Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems Photovoltaic installations on industrial rooftops that enable industrial and commercial building owners to generate solar power on-site for their own consumption and renewable energy deployment.
- Solar Power Plants (Utility-Scale PV) Large-scale solar power installations for utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources, planned and project-developed by ON-Energy as ground-mounted PV systems (Photovoltaik-Freiflächenanlagen).
- Solar Components and Complete Systems (Wholesale) Specialist wholesale (Fachgroßhandel) of solar components and complete systems to solar installers and developers across Germany, positioning PV-International as a reliable nationwide trading partner for the installer market.
- Turnkey Small PV Rooftop Installations (General Contractor) General contractor (Generalunternehmer) service for schlüsselfertige (turnkey) realization of small PV rooftop systems and energy concepts for residential and small commercial customers, including full project execution from planning through installation.
- Ground-Mounted PV Plant Planning and Project Development Planning and project development (Planer & Projektierer) of photovoltaic ground-mounted systems (Freiflächenanlagen) delivered to solar power plant developers by ON-Energy within the Solar Ruhr Gruppe.
Companies that use Solar Ruhr
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Solar Ruhr technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Solar Ruhr partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ON-EnergycorePart of the Solar Ruhr Gruppe. Specializes as planner and project developer of photovoltaic ground-mounted systems (Planer & Projektierer von Photovoltaik-Freiflächenanlagen). Website: on-energy.com
- PV-InternationalcorePart of the Solar Ruhr Gruppe. Functions as specialty wholesale distributor for solar components and complete systems (Fachgroßhändler für Solar-Komponenten und Komplettsysteme). Website: pv-international.de
- Der SolarteurcorePart of the Solar Ruhr Gruppe. Acts as general contractor for turnkey realizations of small PV rooftop systems and energy concepts (Generalunternehmer für schlüsselfertige Realisierungen von kleinen PV-Dachanlagen und Energiekonzepten). Website: der-solarteur.com
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Solar Ruhr competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zolar: Zolar is a German online solar marketplace connecting homeowners with installers for residential PV systems, a comparable direct-to-customer residential solar motion that competes with Der Solarteur's rooftop work.
- Memodo: Memodo is a German wholesaler and distributor of solar components, storage, and PV system packages, directly overlapping with PV-International's nationwide solar components trading-partner role.
- Enpal: Enpal is a major German residential solar leasing and installation company; while it adds a financing/lease layer absent from Solar Ruhr, it competes for the same single-family homeowner segment and Energiewende positioning.
- IBC Solar: IBC Solar is a German photovoltaic company covering the full PV value chain — project development, wholesale distribution of solar components, and EPC/installation services — making it the closest structural analogue to Solar Ruhr's three-subsidiary model.
- 1Komma5°: 1Komma5° is a German residential and commercial solar installer expanding across multiple European markets with a multi-service energy-transition offering, directly comparable to Solar Ruhr's residential and small commercial rooftop focus.
- Solarwatt: Solarwatt is a German solar module manufacturer and installer offering PV systems, storage, and energy management for residential and commercial customers — overlapping with Solar Ruhr's residential rooftop and system supply activities.
Broad incumbents
- E.ON Solar / E.ON Energie Deutschland: E.ON is a major German energy incumbent with solar, storage, and rooftop PV offerings as part of a much broader utility portfolio; it competes with Solar Ruhr in residential and commercial solar while bringing capital, brand, and customer base that Solar Ruhr cannot match.
- EnBW: EnBW is a large German integrated energy company with significant utility-scale solar and wind development, comparable to Solar Ruhr's ON-Energy ground-mounted work but at vastly greater scale and balance-sheet capacity.
- SMA Solar Technology: SMA Solar Technology is a leading German manufacturer of solar inverters and PV power converters that sells into the same installer and EPC channels Solar Ruhr's PV-International serves, making it a key upstream supplier and adjacent incumbent.
Emerging players
- Sonnen (sonnen GmbH): Sonnen is a German residential solar battery storage provider now owned by Shell, integrating storage with PV systems; it competes for the residential rooftop customer that Solar Ruhr targets via Der Solarteur and adds a storage angle that Solar Ruhr does not currently lead with.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Solar Ruhr social profiles
Digital presenceSolar Ruhr financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solar Ruhr leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Solar Ruhr subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Solar Ruhr funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solar Ruhr 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 Solar Ruhr
What does Solar Ruhr do?
Solar Ruhr Gruppe provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions through three operating subsidiaries: ON-Energy plans and develops utility-scale ground-mounted PV systems, PV-International is a wholesale distributor of solar components and complete systems for installers across Germany, and Der Solarteur acts as a general contractor for turnkey small PV rooftop installations and energy concepts. The group sells complete PV systems, solar components, and project-based installation services to residential homeowners, industrial property owners, solar power plant developers, and solar installers nationwide in Germany.
Is Solar Ruhr a public or private company?
Solar Ruhr is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Solar Ruhr founded?
Solar Ruhr was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Solar Ruhr based?
Solar Ruhr is headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Solar Ruhr make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Solar Component Trading is the primary driver. The others are general Contractor Services.
Who are Solar Ruhr's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zolar, Memodo, Enpal, IBC Solar, 1Komma5° and Solarwatt. Broad incumbents are E.ON Solar / E.ON Energie Deutschland, EnBW and SMA Solar Technology. Sonnen (sonnen GmbH) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Solar Ruhr have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solar Ruhr.
What industry is Solar Ruhr in?
Solar Ruhr's product category is Solar Energy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System), with a secondary code of EUAEADAJ, Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4991.