naturstrom: energy of tomorrow

Why renewable energies?

Fossil fuel mining, drilling and burning harms environment, climate and health

Aside from the greenhouse gas CO2, climate- and environment-damaging gases like nitrogen oxides get emitted, as well as fine particles and harmful heavy metals.  

The use of nuclear energy continuously causes nuclear waste – an unsolvable ecological problem

Further risks for environment and health are uranium mining and accidents in nuclear power plants. Furthermore, uranium mining regularly leads to the pollution of (drinking) water as well as the radioactive contamination of men and nature.  

Political and economic dependence through constantly increasing costs of energy imports

Germany covers the biggest part of its energy requirements through imports, which makes it, like many other countries as well, dependent on countries with dubious political, economic and social structures. Because of the decrease of conventional fuels and their fluctuating regional availability worldwide, the risk of struggles for resources rises. The costs for conventional energy sources have surged over the last few years. This trend will continue on a fairly long-term basis – even though external costs (for the climate, environment and health) don’t yet appear in the current statistics.

Renewable energies become cheaper and cheaper – at a basically unlimited range

Contrary to this, renewable energies are becoming less and less expensive. Because for the generation of energy from wind, water and sun no fuel costs incur, once the generation infrastructure is converted. And there is plenty of renewable energy: The yearly solar insolation on the earth can theoretically cover the global annual energy consumption a few thousand times. In practice, a multiple covering of the worldwide energy requirements would be possible with the technologies available at the moment.   

 

NATURSTROM vision: clean energy

At the moment, the energy supply in Germany is still largely based on fossil and nuclear fuels. Energy is mainly produced in large power plants, which are in the hands of a few big energy companies. These still mainly operate coal and nuclear power plants and rarely invest in renewable energies. Consumers usually aren’t involved in the planning of new power plants and don’t get the possibility to have a stake in them.      

The goal of the naturstrom AG: a future-compliant and citizen-friendly energy supply

naturstrom stands for a climate- and eco-friendly as well as participatory energy supply based on renewable energies that is environmentally compatible, safe and affordable in the long run. In the future, we want to generate more and more energy from regional renewable energy sources and supply local consumers with it. That way, everybody profits: all citizens involved, the municipalities, local companies and farmers. Because the added value stays in the area and the energy supply becomes safer, eco-friendlier and more democratic. Moreover, stakes in new green power plants offer various possibilities as financial assets. The extension of renewable energies creates and protects local jobs and strengthens the regional economy. Even for the economy as a whole, decentralized energy transition has big advantages, for example does it take the strain of the electrical grids, which partly makes the building of new power lines redundant.  

naturstrom’s central theme: sustainable economic management

For naturstrom, a decentralized, citizen-friendly energy transition goes hand in hand with a sustainable economic management: Our goal is to build a future-compliant energy supply beyond coal and nuclear energy. We show that the necessary energy transition towards a renewable and decentralized energy supply is possible technically, socially and economically. Even our form of enterprise accommodates the concept of sustainability: The medium-sized naturstrom AG understands itself as a citizens' energy company in the form of a public limited company and as an independent alternative to the conventional energy sector. That’s why special attention is paid that no other company gains influence over naturstrom. naturstrom shares aren’t traded on the Stock Exchange. The naturstrom AG is maintained by more than 1.400 small shareholders as well as the principal shareholder, the eco eco AG. Goals concerning content are high on naturstrom’s agenda. Therefore return-on-equity targets don’t exist.   Sustainability in the day-to-day business naturstrom attaches value to fair dealings with customers, suppliers and business partners. For us, that includes an attractive remuneration for the operators of green power plants and long-lasting contracts with them. We offer our customers a sustainable, certified energy product at an excellent price-performance ratio without advance payment and minimum term.

Sustainability in the day-to-day business

naturstrom attaches value to fair dealings with customers, suppliers and business partners. For us, that includes an attractive remuneration for the operators of green power plants and long-lasting contracts with them. We offer our customers a sustainable, certified energy product at an excellent price-performance ratio without advance payment and minimum term.