About
Founded in 2016, ERNI-Kollektiv is a ngo headquartered in Kassel, Germany with approximately 10-50 employees specializing in Wind.
ERNI e.V. (Erneuerbare Ideen Kollektiv) is a registered non-profit collective dedicated to democratizing renewable energy knowledge and technology. Founded in 2016, they evolved from earlier initiatives BOEE (2012-2015) and KitRad e.V., combining expertise in small-scale wind turbine design and construction. The collective conducts educational workshops ranging from technical university-level courses to beginner-friendly sessions, where participants build functional small wind turbines (typically 3-meter rotor diameter, 800W capacity) from component parts. All work emphasizes open-source documentation, recycled materials, and cooperative decision-making. The team is distributed across Kassel, Leipzig, Berlin, and Rostock. Key projects include the windkit open-source hardware initiative (funded through Prototype Fund Hardware and LAUDS Replication OPEN CALL 2) and participation in the PODEST research project on decentralized renewable energy systems. They provide consulting, custom system design, and maintenance services alongside education.
Headquarters
Kassel, Germany
Founded
2016
Employees
10-50
Company Type
NGO
Business Models
Value Chain
Industry Memberships
Wind Empowerment Network, PODEST Community of Practice (TU Berlin)
Products
windkit
Projects
Suderbyn Ecovillage Wind Maintenance
Rostock Workshop - Jugendalternativzentrum
SoLaWi Rostock - Hybrid Wind-Solar System
Certifications & Awards
Certifications
Gemeinnützigkeit (Non-profit Status)