CVE
CVE is a French independent renewable energy producer operating across solar PV, biogas/methanization, and hydrogen, serving commercial, industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers in five countries through direct PPAs and short-circuit sales models.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersMarseille, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CVE does
CVE is an independent renewable energy producer headquartered in Marseille, France, founded in 2009 by three associates with a mission-driven governance structure (Entreprise à Mission status adopted in 2022, B Corp certified). The company develops, finances, builds, and operates decentralized renewable energy assets — solar PV, biogas/methanization, and hydrogen — and sells the output directly to end customers via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), self-consumption contracts, and biomethane purchase agreements (BPA) through a short-circuit distribution model that bypasses traditional utilities. As of March 31, 2025, CVE operates across five countries (France, Chile, United States, South Africa, Spain) with 510 collaborators, 612 solar plants and 10 biogas units totaling 890 MW operational or under-construction, and a 3.9 GW secured project pipeline.
The company serves three primary customer segments: commercial and industrial enterprises seeking to decarbonize operations, municipalities and local governments pursuing energy transition mandates, and agricultural operators valorizing organic waste through methanization. Its technology stack combines multi-energy generation with proprietary tools, notably the TIC (Taux d'Impact Carbone) carbon impact measurement system co-developed by co-founder Hervé Lucas, and agrivoltaic expertise developed in partnership with Statkraft and INRAE. CVE reported €109.6 million in full-year 2024 revenue and avoided 122,000 tonnes of CO₂ while treating 345,000 tonnes of organic waste in the same year.
CVE's business model blends recurring subscription-style revenue from long-term PPAs and self-consumption contracts with project-based fees from development, construction, and operations services, supplemented by environmental consulting and carbon measurement services. Capital structure combines founder equity with significant institutional debt/equity partnerships — €30 million from Swen Capital Partners (in CVE Biogaz), €100 million from Intermediate Capital Group plc, and €202 million raised in January 2025 to finance 203 MWc of French solar capacity — alongside community crowdfunding channels that engage local stakeholders in project financing.
CVE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CVE
- Legal name
- CVE
- Website
- https://cvegroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CVE is a French independent renewable energy producer operating across solar PV, biogas/methanization, and hydrogen, serving commercial, industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers in five countries through direct PPAs and short-circuit sales models.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CVE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Renewable Energy Production
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) & Biomethane Trading (EUAGAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Program Development & Portfolio Management (EUAJAJAA), Green Gas / RNG Retail Programs & Claims Marketing (EUAAADAG), Retail Supply + DER/Virtual Power Plant Bundles (Solar, Storage, DR) (EUAGABAI)
Keywords
Where CVE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marseille
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
CVE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Green Energy Sales (PPA & Self-Consumption): CVE sells renewable electricity generated from its solar plants and biogas units to commercial, industrial, and municipal customers through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and self-consumption arrangements. This is the primary revenue driver, supported by short-circuit sales that cut out intermediary utilities.
- Technical Solutions & Project Development: CVE develops, builds, and operates renewable energy assets (solar farms, biogas plants) for customers, generating revenue from project development fees, engineering services, and long-term operations contracts.
- Environmental Services & Consulting: CVE provides environmental consulting and carbon impact measurement services to help customers meet sustainability targets, leveraging its TIC tool and agrivoltaic expertise.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-specific renewable energy pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CVE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CVE develops, finances, builds, and operates decentralized renewable energy assets including 612 solar PV plants, 10 biogas/methanization units, and hydrogen installations across France, Chile, USA, South Africa, and Spain. It sells the renewable electricity, biomethane, and hydrogen directly to commercial, industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), self-consumption contracts, and Biomethane Purchase Agreements (BPA). It also provides environmental services (organic waste management, agronomic services, carbon impact measurement via its TIC tool) and H2 pre-feasibility consulting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ecovalim: Dedicated organic waste management and biodechet collection service
- RegeneR
- Biolid
- Respeer
- BPA (Biométhane Purchase Agreement)
Products and services
- Respeer Autoconsommation Respeer self-consumption offering under which CVE develops and operates renewable energy assets whose electricity is consumed directly by the customer on-site, enabling enterprises and municipalities to decarbonize their operations without depending on traditional utilities.
- Respeer PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) Respeer Power Purchase Agreement offering multi-year contracts for the supply of renewable electricity generated by CVE's solar, biogas, or hydrogen assets directly to commercial, industrial, and municipal off-takers.
- BPA - Biométhane Purchase Agreement BPA is a Biomethane Purchase Agreement under which CVE sells biomethane produced from its 10 operational methanization units to industrial off-takers and gas distributors under multi-year contracts.
- Ombrières de parking (Parking Canopy Solar) Solar parking canopy technical solution in which CVE designs, builds, and operates photovoltaic structures installed over parking lots for commercial, industrial, and municipal customers seeking on-site generation.
- Toitures photovoltaïques (Rooftop Solar) Rooftop solar PV technical solution where CVE designs, finances, builds, and operates photovoltaic systems installed on the rooftops of commercial, industrial, and municipal buildings for on-site renewable generation.
- Petites centrales au sol (Small Ground-Mounted Solar Plants) Small-scale ground-mounted solar PV plants developed, built, and operated by CVE for customers requiring decentralized renewable generation on limited land areas.
- Grandes centrales au sol (Large Ground-Mounted Solar Plants) Large-scale ground-mounted solar PV plants developed and operated by CVE, including grid-connected farms under 5 MW in Spain sold via PPAs, supplying renewable electricity under long-term contracts.
- Agrivoltaïsme Élevage (Agrivoltaic Livestock Solutions) Agrivoltaic technical solution combining solar PV electricity generation with livestock farming on the same land, enabling dual-use agricultural deployment for farm operators and cooperatives.
- Hydrogène - Offre Mobilité (Hydrogen Mobility) Hydrogen mobility offering under which CVE supplies green hydrogen for transportation and mobility applications, supporting decarbonization of fleet operators.
- Hydrogène - Offre Industrie (Hydrogen Industry) Hydrogen industry offering under which CVE supplies green hydrogen to industrial customers for use as a feedstock or low-carbon energy source in industrial processes.
- Production de biométhane (Biomethane Production) Biomethane production technical solution in which CVE builds and operates anaerobic digestion units that produce biomethane from organic waste, treating 345,000 tonnes of organic waste annually across its 10 operational biogas units.
- Ecovalim - Gestion des biodéchets (Organic Waste Management) Ecovalim is CVE's dedicated organic waste (biodechet) collection and management service that supplies organic feedstock to the company's methanization units and provides waste valorization services to industrial partners.
- Biolid - Négoce des flux organiques (Organic Flux Trading) Biolid is CVE's organic flux trading service that brokers organic feedstocks and by-products between industrial partners and methanization operators, supporting circular-economy waste valorization.
- Regener - Services agronomiques (Agronomic Services) Regener is CVE's agronomic services offering that valorizes digestate from methanization as organic fertilizer and provides soil fertilization advisory services to agricultural customers.
- Production de CO2 biogénique (Biogenic CO2 Production) Biogenic CO2 production offering under which CVE captures and supplies CO2 generated as a by-product of the biomethane production process to industrial off-takers.
- Etudes H2 - Préfaisabilité (H2 Pre-Feasibility Studies) Hydrogen pre-feasibility consulting studies provided by CVE to customers evaluating green hydrogen projects, assessing technical and economic viability prior to investment.
Quantifiable outcome
- 122,000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided per year (2024)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CVE
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CVE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CVE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AnessacoreStrategic partnership with Anessa, a biogas software company, announced January 30, 2026, focused on digital transformation of CVE's biogas operations. The collaboration aims to deploy Anessa's software platform across CVE's 10 biogas units to optimize biogas production monitoring, organic waste management, and operational efficiency. TotalEnergies is a partner in the Anessa ecosystem, further connecting CVE to a major energy player through this technology relationship.
- StatkraftminorCVE and Statkraft are conducting a joint study on agrivoltaïsme (agrivoltaic energy) in partnership with INRAE, exploring the combination of solar energy production with agricultural activity on the same land.
- INRAEminorResearch partnership with INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) for a joint study on agrivoltaïsme with Statkraft, investigating the scientific and operational parameters of dual-use solar-agricultural land deployment.
- GRDFminorCVE collaborates with GRDF (Gaz Réseau Distribution France) at the Innov'Agri trade show to promote methanization solutions and biogas adoption in the agricultural sector, combining GRDF's gas distribution expertise with CVE's biogas project development capabilities.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
CVE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Voltalia: French independent renewable energy IPP and developer offering solar, wind, biomass, and storage across multiple geographies with a similar decentralized, B2B PPA-driven model. Highly comparable to CVE in scale, geography mix, and multi-energy strategy.
- Neoen: French independent renewable energy IPP with solar, wind, and storage assets across Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Comparable to CVE in being a publicly-tracked (now Brookfield-owned) multi-geography IPP focused on corporate PPAs and decentralized generation.
- Akuo Energy: Paris-based independent renewable energy IPP developing solar, wind, biomass, and storage projects globally, with strong ESG/mission-driven positioning comparable to CVE's 'Entreprise à Mission' status and B Corp credentials.
- Innergex Renewable Energy: Canadian independent renewable IPP operating solar, wind, hydro, and storage assets across North America, France, and Chile. Comparable as a multi-technology, multi-geography IPP focused on long-term contracted cash flows.
- Boralex: Canadian independent renewable IPP with solar, wind, biomass, and storage assets in Canada, France, the UK, and the US. Highly comparable multi-geography IPP with similar focus on long-term PPAs and ESG-driven growth.
Broad incumbents
- Engie: French multinational utility with a large renewable energy generation portfolio (solar, wind, biomass, hydro) and a strong presence in corporate PPA markets. Operates as a broader incumbent where CVE is a specialized independent producer.
- EDF Renewables: Renewable energy arm of French utility EDF, developing solar, wind, and storage projects globally. Competes with CVE in corporate PPAs and project development but at much greater scale and with parent-utility balance sheet support.
- TotalEnergies: French integrated energy major with a growing renewable electricity and biomethane business, including via partnerships such as the Anessa ecosystem that also serves CVE. Competes with CVE in biogas/methane and solar PPAs while operating a much broader downstream portfolio.
- Iberdrola Renovables: Renewable energy division of Spanish utility Iberdrola, one of the world's largest wind and solar developers with strong presence in Iberia and Latin America. Overlaps with CVE in Spanish and Chilean markets, particularly in C&I solar PPAs.
- Enel Green Power: Renewable energy arm of Italian utility Enel, with global solar, wind, and storage development including South America and Africa. Overlaps with CVE in Chile and South Africa solar IPP markets as a much larger incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CVE social profiles
Digital presenceCVE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CVE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
CVE subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
CVE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CVE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CVE
What does CVE do?
CVE develops, finances, builds, and operates decentralized renewable energy assets including 612 solar PV plants, 10 biogas/methanization units, and hydrogen installations across France, Chile, USA, South Africa, and Spain. It sells the renewable electricity, biomethane, and hydrogen directly to commercial, industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), self-consumption contracts, and Biomethane Purchase Agreements (BPA). It also provides environmental services (organic waste management, agronomic services, carbon impact measurement via its TIC tool) and H2 pre-feasibility consulting.
Is CVE a public or private company?
CVE is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CVE founded?
CVE was founded in 2009. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CVE based?
CVE is headquartered in Marseille, France, in the Europe region.
How does CVE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Green Energy Sales (PPA & Self-Consumption) is the primary driver. The others are technical Solutions & Project Development and environmental Services & Consulting.
Who are CVE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Voltalia, Neoen, Akuo Energy, Innergex Renewable Energy and Boralex. Broad incumbents are Engie, EDF Renewables, TotalEnergies, Iberdrola Renovables and Enel Green Power.
Does CVE have an API?
No public API is recorded for CVE.
What industry is CVE in?
CVE's product category is Renewable Energy Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAGAGAI, Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) & Biomethane Trading, with a secondary code of EUAJAJAA, Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Program Development & Portfolio Management. Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4991.