Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine - EPV

What Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine - EPV does

Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine (EPV) is a French non-profit citizen energy association (association loi 1901) founded in 2003 and headquartered in Redon, Brittany. It operates as a community-led organization with 10 employees that develops and manages citizen-owned renewable energy projects across the Pays de Vilaine region, structured around five mission areas: energy production, energy sobriety, electrical flexibility, sustainable mobility, and public education. The association's governance is built on direct citizen participation in project ownership and decision-making.

Its core production assets include three operational wind farms — Begawatts in Béganne, Isac-Watts in Sévérac-Guenrouët, and FEA Tesdan Le Vent in Avessac — operated through the wholly-owned subsidiary Milin-Watts. Beyond wind generation, EPV distributes individual photovoltaic solar kits, runs the Osecar citizen car-sharing service, promotes low-tech sustainable solutions (solar ovens, Norwegian pots, fermented beverages such as kefir and koso) through a dedicated collective and festival, and delivers the ElémenTerre educational program on energy transitions. The association also participates in three European Interreg projects — Smartcore, Circus, and Ecco — focused on energy flexibility, citizen energy community methodologies, and cross-border cooperation.

The revenue model combines energy sales to the grid via Milin-Watts, advisory and consulting fees from local municipalities (collectivités), individual solar kit sales, and grant funding from European Interreg programs. Members and volunteers participate in project ownership and governance, and customer relationships are diversified across local citizen-members, local governments seeking energy-transition support, and European project partners — no single anchor customer dominates the revenue mix.

Name

Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine - EPV

Legal name

Association Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine

Website

https://epv.enr-citoyennes.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine (EPV) is a French non-profit citizen energy association operating three wind farms, solar installations, mobility services, and educational programs across the Pays de Vilaine region in Brittany. It serves local citizens, municipalities, and European partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Citizen Renewable Energy Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation (22111), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wind Power Plant EPC (Onshore/Offshore) (EUAEAAAF), Wind Balance-of-Plant EPC (Crane Pads, Turbine Foundations, Internal Roads) (EUAEADAI)

Keywords

• Citizen renewable energy
• Community wind farms
• Solar kit installations
• Energy transition advisory
• Sustainable mobility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Redon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Renewable Energy Production: Operation and exploitation of citizen-owned wind farms and solar installations generating revenue from energy sales to the grid
2. Services to Collectivités: Advisory and consulting services provided to local governments for energy transition planning and implementation
3. European Project Funding: Participation in Interreg European projects (Smartcore, Circus, Ecco) providing grant funding for energy transition initiatives

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EPV is a citizen-owned non-profit association that develops, owns, and operates renewable energy projects in the Pays de Vilaine region of Brittany, France. Its core offerings include three operational wind farms (Begawatts, Isac-Watts, FEA Tesdan Le Vent) producing energy for the grid, individual photovoltaic solar kits installed for citizens, advisory services to local governments on energy transition, and a citizen car-sharing service (Osecar). The association combines energy production, energy sobriety, grid flexibility, sustainable mobility, and educational programs into an integrated citizen-led approach.

Product overview

Énergies citoyennes en Pays de Vilaine (EPV) is a citizen energy association operating as a multi-project portfolio organization. The association's core activities span five mission areas: energy production (through citizen-owned wind farms including Begawatts, Isac-Watts, and FEA Tesdan Le Vent, plus individual photovoltaic solar kit installations), energy efficiency/ssobriété, flexibility (including the MALOEN project and Interreg Smartcore), sustainable mobility (MAES project, Osecar car-sharing, Défi Mobi challenge), and education/popular education (ElémenTerre program, Low-Tech collective). Operations are managed through its subsidiary Milin-Watts. EPV also participates in European Interreg projects (Smartcore, Circus, Ecco) and provides advisory services to local authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Begawatts Wind Farm Operational wind farm located in Béganne, owned and operated as a citizen-owned renewable energy production asset that sells energy to the grid.
• Isac-Watts Wind Farm Operational wind farm located in Sévérac-Guenrouët, owned and operated as a citizen-owned renewable energy production asset that sells energy to the grid.
• FEA Tesdan Le Vent Wind Farm Operational wind farm located in Avessac, owned and operated as a citizen-owned renewable energy production asset that sells energy to the grid.
• Solar Kits (Kits solaires) Individual photovoltaic solar installation kits distributed to citizens of the Pays de Vilaine region for residential solar energy production.
• Osecar Car-Sharing Service Citizen car-sharing service operated by EPV, encouraging residents to embrace car sharing as an alternative to private vehicle ownership and a sustainable mobility solution.
• Advisory Services to Local Collectivities (Conseil aux collectivités) Advisory and consulting services provided to municipalities and local government bodies for energy transition planning and the development of citizen-owned renewable energy projects.
• Low-Tech des Pays de Vilaine Workshops Collective initiative offering workshops and educational sessions on low-tech sustainable solutions including solar ovens, Norwegian pots, kefir, and koso, aimed at citizens of the Pays de Vilaine region.
• ElémenTerre Educational Program Educational program on ecological and energy transitions that engages citizens in understanding and participating in the energy transition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three operational wind farms providing citizen-owned renewable energy production capacity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TerluzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal citizen group collaborating with EPV on solar energy projects. Jointly developed a new citizen solar project in Saint-Jean-la-Poterie.
• SOLARZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative partner involved in citizen solar energy projects. Participated in CIRCUS project events sharing experience on group dynamics in energy communities.
• Interreg SmartcorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Interreg project focused on energy flexibility. EPV is a partner alongside ENS Rennes and other European organizations studying grid flexibility solutions.
• Interreg CircuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Interreg project on energy communities. EPV hosted a 3-day seminar with 18 partners from 5 Northern European countries in Redon.
• Interreg EccocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Interreg project in which EPV participates as a partner in cross-border energy cooperation initiatives.
• ENS Rennes (École Normale Supérieure de Rennes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the Smartcore project. ENS Rennes recruits engineers specializing in computer science and electrical engineering in the context of the project.
• RÉCITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization acknowledged in CIRCUS project activities, contributing to knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Association Fégréac-HaiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal association engaged in sustainable hedge management. Provided wood supply to the school wood heating system in Fégréac visited during CIRCUS project seminar.
• Choco BNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization that shared its sustainable energy approach at the scale of north Loire-Atlantique during CIRCUS project events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Our Power: Austrian citizen energy cooperative focused on renewable electricity supply. Similar citizen-driven renewable energy model, but operating in Austria.
• Som Energia: Spanish renewable energy cooperative selling green electricity from member-owned generation. Comparable citizen-driven cooperative model, but operates in Spain rather than France.
• Bürgerwerke: German cooperative of citizen energy groups supplying renewable electricity. Similar citizen-owned renewable energy model, but operating regionally across Germany.
• Windcentrale: Dutch cooperative enabling citizens to co-own wind turbines. Directly comparable to EPV's citizen-owned wind farm model (Begawatts, Isac-Watts, FEA), but operating in the Netherlands.
• Ecopower: Belgian citizen energy cooperative owning wind turbines, solar installations, and biomass plants, with member ownership. Closely comparable structure (citizen-owned, multiple renewable assets) but operating in Belgium rather than France.

Direct peers

• Énergie Partagée: National French network supporting citizen renewable energy projects, including investment vehicles and project incubation. Highly comparable to EPV's role as a project enabler for citizen-led energy transition in France.
• Enercoop: France's largest citizen-owned renewable energy cooperative, supplying green electricity from citizen-funded production projects. Closely comparable to EPV in operating model (citizen ownership, renewable production) but at a national scale rather than regional.
• Banque de la Transition Énergétique (Citizen Energy cooperatives network): Federation of French citizen energy initiatives pooling investment in renewable projects. Functionally analogous to EPV's citizen-financed wind and solar projects within a national framework.

Broad incumbents

• Valorem: French independent renewable energy developer operating wind, solar, and hydro projects across France. Comparable wind/solar project activity but as a commercial developer rather than a citizen cooperative.

Others

• ENS Rennes: Academic partner of EPV in the Interreg Smartcore project, bringing engineering and computer science expertise. Serves as an R&D and talent partner in EPV's flexibility projects rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/associationEPV
• Instagraminstagram.com/energies_citoyennes_epv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/energies-citoyennes-en-pays-de-vilaine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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