FairEnergie

FairEnergie GmbH is a regional utility company headquartered in Reutlingen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It supplies households, businesses and municipalities in and around Reutlingen with electricity, natural gas, drinking water and district heating, and it also offers energy-related services and e-mobility products. The company traces its roots to the Elektrizitätswerk Reutlingen GmbH founded in 1903 and to the municipal works (Stadtwerke) that operated the city's energy and water supply through the 20th century. The FairEnergie brand itself emerged around the turn of the millennium: on 1 January 1999 the municipal Eigenbetrieb Stadtwerke was converted into Reutlinger Stadtwerke GmbH, and in 2000 FairEnergie was spun out of that company as a subsidiary that has since taken over all energy and water supply tasks. FairEnergie is majority-owned by the city through Stadtwerke Reutlingen GmbH, which holds 75.1%, while the regional energy group EnBW, through EnBW Kommunale Beteiligungen GmbH, holds 24.9%. It is part of a municipal group that also includes the Reutlinger Stadtverkehrsgesellschaft and RSV Service GmbH. FairEnergie in turn holds stakes in several joint ventures and subsidiaries, including the grid operator FairNetz GmbH (100%), Kraftwerk Reutlingen-Kirchentellinsfurt AG (87.5%), HBG – Heizwerkbetriebsgesellschaft Reutlingen mbH (20%), Bad Urach Netzgesellschaft GmbH (40%) and Windenergie Tautschbuch GmbH (24.95%). In 2023 the company reported revenue of EUR 368.51 million, split mainly across electricity (EUR 161 million), gas (EUR 153 million), water (EUR 29 million) and heat (EUR 18 million), with 74 employees as of 31 December 2023. Its managing director is Jens Balcerek. FairEnergie operates five hydroelectric power plants, the Buttenhausen solar park (since 2024), seven combined heat and power units and a district heating network of more than 44 kilometres, three natural gas filling stations, and around 90 electric vehicle charging points in the Reutlingen area. It supplies drinking water to roughly 130,000 people, about two thirds of it purchased from the Bodensee-Wasserversorgung association and one third from its own sources. The company is also active in hydrogen planning through the H2 Grid project and is a long-standing regional sponsor, including of SSV Reutlingen since 2003.

The history of FairEnergie is closely tied to the municipal energy supply of Reutlingen. In 1903 the Elektrizitätswerk Reutlingen GmbH was founded, marking the beginning of organised electricity supply in the city. In 1926 the first hydroelectric power plant at Kirchentellinsfurt went into operation, initiating the use of Reutlingen's water power for electricity generation. As demand for natural gas grew, the Stadtwerke built a spherical gas holder with a capacity of 120,000 cubic metres in 1965. From 1984 onward, contracts were concluded with numerous municipalities for the operation of natural gas supply facilities, extending the utility's reach beyond the city itself. A decisive structural change came at the turn of the millennium. On 1 January 1999 the municipal Eigenbetrieb Stadtwerke was converted into Reutlinger Stadtwerke GmbH. In 2000, FairEnergie was founded as a subsidiary of that company and has since taken over all tasks in energy and water supply. This established the FairEnergie brand as the customer-facing utility of the Reutlingen group. In the 2010s and 2020s the company expanded its activities in renewable energy, grids and new services. Since 2011 it has held a stake in the Baltic 1 offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. On 1 January 2015, FairNetz GmbH was founded as a subsidiary of FairEnergie and took over the operation of the electricity, gas and water networks. As part of the expansion of the Reutlingen district heating network, FairEnergie commissioned a new heating plant on Bahnhofstraße in Reutlingen in 2019. In 2024 the first barrier-free electric vehicle charging point in Reutlingen was installed, and in autumn 2024 the Buttenhausen solar park began operation. In June 2025 a further construction phase began to extend the district heating network. Ownership has remained anchored in the city while including a regional energy partner. As of 2023, the shareholders were Stadtwerke Reutlingen GmbH with 75.1% and EnBW Kommunale Beteiligungen GmbH with 24.9%. FairEnergie is part of a municipal group alongside Reutlinger Stadtverkehrsgesellschaft mbH and RSV Service GmbH, and it holds interests in FairNetz GmbH (100%), Kraftwerk Reutlingen-Kirchentellinsfurt AG (87.5%), HBG – Heizwerkbetriebsgesellschaft Reutlingen mbH (20%), Bad Urach Netzgesellschaft GmbH (40%) and Windenergie Tautschbuch GmbH (24.95%). In 2023 the company generated revenue of EUR 368.51 million and employed 74 people as of 31 December 2023. Its managing director is Jens Balcerek.

• 2025

  New construction phase begins in June to expand the district heating network

• 2024

  First barrier-free EV charging point in Reutlingen installed; Buttenhausen solar park begins operation

• 2023

  Cooperation with carsharing provider TeilAuto Neckar-Alb e.V. begins

• 2019

  New heating plant on Bahnhofstraße in Reutlingen commissioned

• 2015

  FairNetz GmbH founded as a subsidiary on 1 January to operate electricity, gas and water networks

• 2014

  FairEnergie and the city of Reutlingen begin awarding an annual environmental, nature and climate protection prize

• 2011

  Company takes a stake in the Baltic 1 offshore wind farm

• 2003

  FairEnergie becomes a sponsor of SSV Reutlingen

• 2000

  FairEnergie founded as a subsidiary of Reutlinger Stadtwerke GmbH

• 1999

  Municipal Eigenbetrieb Stadtwerke converted into Reutlinger Stadtwerke GmbH on 1 January

• 1984

  Contracts concluded with numerous municipalities for natural gas supply facilities

• 1965

  Stadtwerke build a spherical gas holder with 120,000 cubic metres capacity

• 1926

  First hydroelectric power plant at Kirchentellinsfurt goes into operation

• 1903

  Elektrizitätswerk Reutlingen GmbH founded

Municipal regional utility focused on reliable, locally rooted supply of electricity, gas, water and heat, with growing emphasis on renewable generation, e-mobility and climate-friendly heating solutions.

• Electricity tariffs

  Electricity supply for households and business customers, including green electricity offerings.

• Natural gas tariffs

  Natural gas supply for households and businesses, plus three natural gas filling stations.

• Drinking water

  Drinking water supply to around 130,000 people, sourced partly from Bodensee-Wasserversorgung and partly from own sources.

• District heating

  District heating network of more than 44 km with seven combined heat and power units.

• WohlfühlWärme

  Contracting model for air/water heat pumps with no upfront cost; customers pay a monthly flat fee covering maintenance and repairs.

• FairflixtSonnig

  Leasing offer for rooftop photovoltaic systems.

• E-mobility charging

  Around 90 charging points and two fast chargers in the Reutlingen area, plus a charging card for Germany and abroad.

1. 1FairEnergie: Strom, Gas, Wärme & Wasser für Reutlingenfairenergie.de
2. 2FairEnergie – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3FairEnergie – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org