Rijne Energie

What Rijne Energie does

Rijne Energie is a Dutch residents' energy cooperative (energiecoöperatie) established in September 2018 and based in Utrecht, Netherlands. The organization is volunteer-led with 1–10 personnel and operates on a cooperative membership model in which residents pay €10 per year for voting rights and the ability to invest in local renewable energy projects. The cooperative has grown to over 1,100 members across the Utrecht region (including Nieuwegein, IJsselstein, Montfoort, Lopik, Stichtse Vecht, De Bilt, Zeist, and Bunnik) and is governed democratically by its members.

The cooperative's flagship project is Windpark Rijnenburg en Reijerscop, a planned development of four 6.5 MW wind turbines (tip heights up to 270 meters) in the polders south of Utrecht, expected to supply approximately 27,000–30,000 households with renewable electricity by 2029. The project is structured as a joint venture with 50% cooperative ownership (split equally between Rijne Energie and De Windvogel) and 50% commercial ownership by Eneco, which also serves as the electricity distribution partner. Planned complementary assets include solar fields and a large-scale battery storage system designed to alleviate regional grid congestion. Permits have been secured from the municipality, province, and water board, with municipal council approval by a two-thirds majority in June 2024, though an appeal at the Raad van State is pending with a decision expected in 2026.

Rijne Energie's business model combines modest membership fees, recurring crowdfunding rounds offering a 25% investment bonus if the park is built, SDE+ Dutch government subsidies, and future electricity sales. The cooperative has raised approximately €700,000 across three member crowdfunding rounds (2022–2025) and plans a €4.5 million raise in 2027 for the financial close on turbines and cables. The organization also operates the Energiebank Utrecht social initiative to combat energy poverty and a neighbor compensation scheme that pays €500–€5,000 one-time plus €166–€1,660 annually (plus €0.70/MWh) to residents within 1,000 meters of turbines. Electricity currently generates less than 3% of Utrecht's energy; the cooperative aims to contribute roughly 8% of the city's renewable target.

Name

Rijne Energie

Legal name

Rijne Energie

Website

https://rijne-energie.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rijne Energie is a Dutch residents' energy cooperative (1,100+ members) developing citizen-owned wind and solar infrastructure in the Utrecht region, with four 6.5 MW turbines planned for the Rijnenburg and Reijerscop polders by 2029.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Renewable Energy

NAICS

Wind Electric Power Generation (221115), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid Wind Power Plants (Wind+Solar+Storage Co-located) (EUACAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wind Power Plant EPC (Onshore/Offshore) (EUAEAAAF)

Keywords

• Community renewable energy
• Citizen-owned wind power
• Solar energy development
• Energy cooperative membership
• Participatory energy investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales from Wind and Solar: Revenue is generated by selling electricity produced by the four wind turbines and potential solar fields in Rijnenburg and Reijerscop to consumers, initially through partner Eneco, and potentially directly through Rijne Energie or a cooperative supplier. Wind power is cost-competitive and, combined with SDE+ subsidy, attracts investors while generating surplus for local reinvestment.
2. Crowdfunding and Member Investments: Community members invest in the wind park through periodic crowdfunding rounds, receiving a return on their investment. The 2023 round raised €365,000 in one week; the 2025 round raised €165,000 in three days. A final round targeting €4.5 million is planned for 2027.
3. SDE+ Government Subsidy: Wind energy is financed in part through the Dutch SDE+ (Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie) subsidy scheme provided by the national government, which offsets the cost of renewable energy production.
4. Membership Fees: Members pay an annual fee of €10 per year, granting them voting rights, participation in decision-making, and access to invest in the cooperative's energy projects.
5. Energybank Utrecht / Energy Poverty Relief: A portion of the cooperative's revenues is allocated to the Energiebank Utrecht, an initiative providing practical support and personal guidance to households struggling to pay their energy bills, including energy coaching, home insulation, and energy-sharing schemes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rijne Energie is a resident-owned energy cooperative developing locally generated wind and solar power in the Rijnenburg and Reijerscop polders near Utrecht. It offers annual cooperative memberships, member voting over project decisions and revenues, participatory investments in the wind park, and community benefit programs, with a large-scale battery planned to manage surplus generation and grid congestion.

Product overview

Rijne Energie is a residents' energy cooperative (energiecoöperatie) based in Utrecht, Netherlands, established in 2018. Rather than a traditional tech product company, it operates as a community-owned energy initiative focused on developing and operating renewable energy infrastructure for local residents. Its core product portfolio consists of Windpark Rijnenburg en Reijerscop — a 50% cooperative-owned wind energy project with four 6.5 MW turbines — supplemented by solar fields (zonnevelden) and a planned large-scale battery storage system. Members access their accounts through the Mijn Rijne Energie portal. The cooperative also runs the Energiebank Utrecht social initiative to combat energy poverty, organizes the Klimaatexamen climate education program, and offers a participatory investment (crowdfunding) scheme allowing members to co-invest in wind energy projects with a 25% bonus upon project realization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rijne Energie Cooperative Membership An annual cooperative membership costing €10 that gives local residents voting rights, participation in decisions about the use of electricity revenues, and access to investment opportunities in renewable-energy projects.
• Participatory Wind-Park Investment Scheme A member investment offering through periodic crowdfunding rounds for the local wind park. Investors receive a 25% bonus on their investment if the park is built, with prior rounds used for environmental studies, technical design, ground research, and other preparation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Four wind turbines supplying ~27,000–30,000 households with renewable electricity, contributing ~8% of Utrecht's renewable energy target
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• BHM SolarsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2024BHM Solar is involved in exploring the development of a large-scale battery storage system in Rijnenburg, holding a 25% stake in the battery exploration project. BHM Solar brings solar energy expertise to the consortium's energy landscape development.
• EnecocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Eneco is a commercial energy company and the primary development partner in the wind park consortium. Eneco holds 50% of the shares in Windpark Rijnenburg and Reijerscop while the two cooperatives (Rijne Energie and De Windvogel) hold the remaining 50%. Eneco manages the electricity sales to consumers from the wind park and contributes experience in wind park development and battery technology.
• De WindvogelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021De Windvogel is a national energy cooperative with over 3,500 members, acting as the senior cooperative partner with extensive experience in wind energy projects. De Windvogel holds 25% of the wind park (equal to Rijne Energie) and will gradually withdraw as the project matures, retaining a 10% stake to fund other local cooperatives. The two cooperatives together hold 50% of the wind park, ensuring democratic local control.
• Energie-UsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergie-U is a local energy cooperative and one of the founding organizations behind Rijne Energie. Energie-U runs the postcoderoos (neighborhood energy) scheme in the Utrecht region (e.g., Buurtstroom), and contributes local cooperative knowledge and network connections.
• StedinsupportingTechnology or IntegrationStedin is the regional electricity grid operator. Rijne Energie works with Stedin on connecting the battery system and wind park to the electricity network. The battery will use the wind park's grid connection capacity, which has been reserved, and Stedin must approve any additional grid usage.
• TenneTsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTenneT is the national electricity transmission system operator working alongside Stedin on grid capacity issues. Grid capacity is expected to become available no earlier than 2027, which determines when the wind park can begin supplying electricity to the grid.
• Gemeente Utrecht (Municipality of Utrecht)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality of Utrecht is the key governmental partner, providing the zoning plan amendment (bestemmingsplan), environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning), and policy framework for the energy landscape. The municipal council approved the plan with a two-thirds majority in June 2024. The municipality also sets local noise standards (45 dB Lden) that govern the wind park's operations.
• Provincie Utrecht (Province of Utrecht)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe provincial government has granted the Nature Permit (Natuurvergunning) for the wind park and supports the project's contribution to Utrecht's renewable energy targets and climate neutrality goals by 2030.
• Waterschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden (Water Board)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe water board has granted the Water Permit (Watervergunning) required for the wind park construction and operation, as the project area involves water management considerations in the polders.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Greenchoice: Dutch green electricity and gas retailer sourcing from renewable generation. Comparable in delivering green power to Dutch consumers but lacks the cooperative ownership and local-project development angle that distinguishes Rijne Energie.
• Pure Energie: Dutch renewable energy supplier that develops and operates wind and solar projects while selling 100% green electricity to consumers. Comparable direct-to-consumer green power model and overlap on project development, though structured as a commercial entity rather than cooperative.

Others

• TenneT: Dutch/German national transmission system operator (TSO) controlling high-voltage grid capacity that gates when the Rijnenburg/Reijerscop wind park can actually export power. Enabling/regulatory counterpart rather than direct competitor.
• Stedin: Regional Dutch electricity grid operator (DSO) responsible for connecting the Rijnenburg/Reijerscop wind park and battery to the distribution network in Utrecht. Adjacent infrastructure provider rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Vattenfall (Netherlands): Large European utility with Dutch generation and retail operations, including wind and solar. Overlaps with Rijne Energie's end markets (Dutch electricity supply) but operates at a vastly different scale and as a commercial incumbent rather than community-led developer.
• Eneco: Major Dutch commercial energy company and Rijne Energie's 50% partner in the Rijnenburg/Reijerscop wind park. Operates broadly across generation, retail supply, and heat/smart energy solutions; overlapping capability but a diversified incumbent rather than a community cooperative.

Direct peers

• Energie-U: Regional Utrecht energy cooperative and founding organization of Rijne Energie. Operates neighborhood energy (postcoderoos/Buurtstroom) schemes in the same Utrecht region and shares the same community-led cooperative model.
• Windunie: Dutch cooperative representing wind turbine owners across the Netherlands, pooling operational, technical, and commercial services for citizen-owned wind assets. Highly comparable business model: cooperative governance over distributed wind generation.
• De Windvogel: National Dutch energy cooperative with 3,500+ members focused specifically on citizen-owned wind energy. Co-owns the Rijnenburg/Reijerscop wind park with Rijne Energie (25% each) and is the senior cooperative partner providing wind project experience.
• Zuidenwind: Dutch regional energy cooperative developing citizen-owned wind projects, often in partnership with municipalities and commercial developers. Shares Rijne Energie's community-financed, locally embedded approach to wind energy development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/RijneEnergie
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwb5bOEtB6MWW0VvV98deMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/RijneEnergie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rijne-energie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Rijne Energie