NaturEnergie

NaturEnergie is a German green electricity brand that emerged in 1998 as one of the country's first dedicated eco-power providers. It was founded as NaturEnergie AG by the Kraftübertragungswerke Rheinfelden (KWR) and the Aktiengesellschaft Kraftwerk Laufenburg (KWL), two hydropower companies with roots on the High Rhine dating back to the late 19th century. The brand sells electricity generated entirely from hydropower, along with gas products, heating solutions, photovoltaics, building and living services, and e-mobility offerings. Its parent, the Energiedienst Group, is headquartered in Laufenburg, Switzerland, while the German operating company naturenergie hochrhein AG is based in Rheinfelden (Baden) on the Swiss border. In October 2023, Energiedienst AG renamed itself naturenergie hochrhein AG, elevating the long-established eco-power brand to the company name. The brand serves roughly 300,000 private and commercial customers, primarily in southern Baden and Switzerland, and positions itself as a regional energy provider with a strong sustainability focus. Its electricity is sourced from its own hydropower plants on the High Rhine, including the Rheinfelden, Laufenburg, and Wyhlen facilities. Beyond electricity, NaturEnergie offers Ökogas tariffs with biogenic components, heat pump and storage heating solutions, solar PV systems, and e-car sharing concepts. The brand's website emphasizes energy consulting, customer portal services, and a referral program that rewards customers with €100 for successful recommendations. As part of the naturenergie Holding AG, the brand benefits from a long industrial heritage in hydropower while adapting to modern energy transition needs such as electromobility and decentralized generation.

The history of the naturenergie brand is intertwined with the industrial development of hydropower on the High Rhine. In 1894, the Kraftübertragungswerke Rheinfelden AG (KWR) began operations, and a year later it received the concession for a Rhine power plant in Rheinfelden. This plant started in 1898 as the first power station on the High Rhine and the largest hydropower plant in Europe at the time. In 1908, the Aktiengesellschaft Kraftwerk Laufenburg (KWL) was founded, and six years later its hydropower plant in Laufenburg went online, notable for being the first plant built transversely across the Rhine. Meanwhile, the Augst-Wyhlen double power plant was also in operation, with the Wyhlen section built by KWR. Between 1986 and 1990, operating permits for the Rheinfelden, Laufenburg, and Wyhlen sites were extended, and capacity upgrades were planned. Wyhlen and Laufenburg were modernized, while Rheinfelden was rebuilt starting in 2003; its first turbines went into operation in 2010, and the new Rheinfelden hydropower plant was officially inaugurated in September 2011. In the late 1990s, the German electricity market was liberalized. KWL and KWR entered a cooperation and in 1998 founded NaturEnergie AG. From then on, the group sold electricity from renewable sources throughout Germany, making NaturEnergie one of the first green electricity providers in the country. After the turn of the millennium, KWR and KWL decided on a legal and economic merger. KWL acquired KWR's shares. In early 2003, KWR became Energiedienst AG, and KWL soon became Energiedienst Holding AG. In October 2023, Energiedienst AG renamed itself naturenergie hochrhein AG, turning the eco-power brand established in the late 1990s into the new company name. The customer base has since grown to approximately 300,000 private and commercial customers, according to the company. The brand continues to operate under the naturenergie umbrella, offering a range of energy products and services.

• 2023

  Energiedienst AG renamed naturenergie hochrhein AG in October.

• 2011

  New Rheinfelden hydropower plant officially inaugurated in September.

• 2010

  First turbines of the rebuilt Rheinfelden hydropower plant go into operation.

• 2003

  KWR becomes Energiedienst AG; KWL becomes Energiedienst Holding AG.

• 1998

  NaturEnergie AG is founded by KWR and KWL, becoming one of Germany's first green electricity providers.

• 1986

  Operating permits for Rheinfelden, Laufenburg, and Wyhlen are extended.

• 1914

  Laufenburg hydropower plant goes online, the first built transversely across the Rhine.

• 1908

  Aktiengesellschaft Kraftwerk Laufenburg (KWL) is founded.

• 1898

  Rheinfelden hydropower plant starts as the first on the High Rhine and largest in Europe.

• 1895

  KWR receives concession for a Rhine power plant in Rheinfelden.

• 1894

  Kraftübertragungswerke Rheinfelden AG (KWR) begins operations.

Regional green energy provider with 100% hydropower, emphasizing sustainability, local presence, and comprehensive energy solutions.

• Ökostrom

  Electricity from 100% hydropower.

• Ökogas

  Gas tariffs including options with biogenic content.

• Wärmestrom

  Electricity for heat pumps or storage heating.

• Photovoltaics

  Solar PV systems for self-generation or feed-in.

• E-Mobilität

  Charging solutions and shared mobility concepts.

• Bauen und Wohnen

  Energy-efficient building and living solutions.

1. 1naturenergienaturenergie.de
2. 2naturenergie | Das sind wir!naturenergie.de
3. 3NaturEnergiewikidata.org
4. 4NaturEnergiede.wikipedia.org