champs d'energie
Champs d'énergie is a Belgian citizen energy cooperative founded in 2014 that finances and operates renewable energy projects — onshore wind, photovoltaic, biomass, and EV charging — using capital from individual cooperators and partner cooperatives in Wallonia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersFernelmont, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What champs d'energie does
Champs d'énergie is a Belgian citizen energy cooperative (SCRL) founded in 2014 and headquartered in Fernelmont, Wallonia. It develops, finances, and operates renewable energy assets including onshore wind turbines, photovoltaic installations, biomass, and electric vehicle charging stations. The cooperative serves individual citizens who subscribe to cooperative shares (cooperators), as well as small and medium enterprises, farms, schools, and municipalities that host solar installations on their premises. Governance follows the standard one-person, one-vote principle of Belgian SCRL cooperatives, and the entity holds CNC agrément 5246 from the Walloon regulator.
The business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) capital contributions from cooperators subscribing to cooperative shares in exchange for a modest dividend; (2) revenue from the sale of electricity and green certificates generated by its operational wind and solar assets; and (3) third-party investment arrangement fees collected when the cooperative structures financing for partner cooperatives on renewable projects. Operational assets as of the most recent disclosure include two wind turbines (a 2.2 MW unit and the 3.6 MW Boneffe turbine commissioned in 2022, together representing roughly €7.7 million of cumulative investment) plus approximately 668 kWc of photovoltaic capacity distributed across six sites. Dedicated SPVs — SA Marchôvent (2018) and Zéphyr (2021) — ring-fence individual wind turbine investments and onboard third-party capital from partner cooperatives.
Growth is funded through a combination of cooperative equity, partner cooperative financing, and bank debt. The cooperative is embedded in Notre Energie/Seacoop, a federation of 34 Walloon cooperatives, through which it co-invested €20.5 million into the NorthWind offshore wind consortium. Other named partners include Cociter, HesbEnergie, Nosse Moulin, and Clef, and Triodos Bank provided a €3.4 million debt facility. The cooperative pursues a community-led go-to-market motion, originating projects through local political and citizen networks rather than competitive auctions or developer-led acquisition.
champs d'energie firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- champs d'energie
- Legal name
- Champs d'énergie
- Website
- https://champsdenergie.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Champs d'énergie is a Belgian citizen energy cooperative founded in 2014 that finances and operates renewable energy projects — onshore wind, photovoltaic, biomass, and EV charging — using capital from individual cooperators and partner cooperatives in Wallonia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
champs d'energie industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Citizen Renewable Energy Cooperative
- NAICS
- Wind Electric Power Generation (221115), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DER Aggregation & Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) (EUAMAJAC)
Keywords
Where champs d'energie is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fernelmont
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
champs d'energie business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Capital contributions from cooperators: Citizens purchase cooperative shares to become members. The cooperative uses these funds along with bank loans to finance renewable energy projects. Cooperators receive voting rights and potential dividends based on financial results.
- Green certificate (certificat vert) revenue: The cooperative generates revenue through green certificates awarded for renewable energy production. These certificates are sold to grid operators or energy suppliers.
- Forfeiture fees from photovoltaic installations: For photovoltaic projects under the third-party investment model, clients pay a fixed fee to Champs d'énergie. After 10-12 years, the installation is fully paid off and becomes the client's property.
- Electricity sales through partnership: Cooperatives can supply electricity to members through partner Cociter, a renewable energy supplier, creating short-circuit energy provision.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
champs d'energie product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Champs d'énergie is a citizen energy cooperative that finances, develops, and operates renewable energy production assets — including onshore wind turbines, rooftop photovoltaic installations, biomass projects, and electric vehicle charging stations — using member share capital and bank loans. Citizens become cooperators by purchasing shares, gaining voting rights and access to dividends, while businesses and public entities host photovoltaic installations through a third-party investment model requiring no upfront cost. Electricity is supplied to members through partner Cociter at fair prices under a short-circuit model.
Product overview
Champs d'énergie is a Walloon citizen cooperative offering a portfolio of renewable energy products: wind energy (éolien) through direct ownership in onshore turbines and participation in offshore wind via the Notre Énergie platform, photovoltaic solar energy (photovoltaïque) through a third-party investment model, biomass projects (biomasse), and EV charging stations (station de recharge). The cooperative also provides awareness and education services. Members can become cooperator-investors, vote at General Assemblies, receive dividends, and purchase electricity through partner supplier Cociter. The products are interconnected through the cooperative model where citizen participation and local energy production are central themes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- CO2 savings: 3,800 tonnes/year from Fernelmont wind turbine (3.6 MW)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use champs d'energie
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
champs d'energie technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
champs d'energie partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Notre Energie / SeacoopflagshipNotre Energie is a platform launched by 34 Belgian energy cooperatives (united under Seacoop since 2023) to give citizens control over energy production. Champs d'énergie is one of the founding cooperatives. The platform enables participation in offshore wind projects including NorthWind and Princess Elisabeth zone development.
- Aspiravi OffshoreflagshipThrough Notre Energie, Champs d'énergie participates in Aspiravi Offshore which operates the NorthWind offshore wind park. Notre Energie invested 20.5 million euros in this partnership, giving Belgian citizens first-time ownership of offshore wind energy.
- CocitercoreCociter is the renewable energy supplier partner through which cooperative members can purchase green electricity at fair prices in a short-circuit model. The partnership allows cooperators to become Cociter customers, creating a direct link between local production and consumption.
- HesbEnergiecorePartner cooperative from Orp-Jauche that co-develops wind projects with Champs d'énergie. Joint ownership in SA Marchôvent (Fernelmont wind) and SA Zéphyr (Boneffe wind) projects.
- Nosse MoulincorePartner cooperative from Gembloux that co-develops wind projects with Champs d'énergie. Joint ownership in SA Marchôvent (Fernelmont wind) and SA Zéphyr (Boneffe wind) projects.
- Commune de FernelmontcoreThe municipality of Fernelmont partnered with Champs d'énergie to enable citizen participation in the Marchovelette wind park project. The commune holds a 16% stake in SA Marchôvent.
- LuminusminorLuminus developed the original Marchovelette wind park where Champs d'énergie acquired one turbine. Also developing the La Bruyère project (4 turbines) where Champs d'énergie could participate.
- Coop'HéronminorLocal association in Héron that mobilizes citizen cooperators and partnered with Champs d'énergie to finance the Brasserie de Marsinne photovoltaic installation.
- REScoop WalloniecoreWalloon federation of citizen energy cooperatives providing shared resources, best practices, advocacy, and legitimacy for member cooperatives including Champs d'énergie.
- Eneco / Oceanwinds / OtaryminorConsortium partners for Princess Elisabeth offshore wind zone development through Notre Energie platform. Champs d'énergie participates via the cooperative platform.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
champs d'energie competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ecopower: Belgium's largest renewable energy cooperative, headquartered in Leuven, with thousands of citizen members owning wind and solar assets across Flanders; directly comparable in mission, ownership model and technology mix (wind, solar, biomass) but at materially larger scale.
- Cociter: Belgian cooperative renewable electricity supplier that is also Champs d'énergie's chosen supply partner ('short-circuit' model); same cooperative DNA, citizen ownership and 100% renewable positioning, serving a near-identical customer base in Wallonia/Flanders.
- Enercoop: France's leading citizen-owned renewable energy cooperative, supplying green electricity to consumer-members via local producers; the closest European counterpart to Champs d'énergie in structure (cooperative, one-person-one-vote, citizen financing of renewables) and mission, differing primarily by geography.
- HesbEnergie: Belgian energy cooperative based in Orp-Jauche and a direct co-development partner with Champs d'énergie on the SA Marchôvent (Fernelmont) and SA Zéphyr (Boneffe) wind SPVs; nearly identical operational scale, geography and citizen-cooperative model.
- Nosse Moulin: Citizen energy cooperative in Gembloux and co-shareholder with Champs d'énergie in SA Marchôvent and SA Zéphyr; same Walloon geography, similarly sized and similar citizen-membership fundraising model.
Regional players
- Bürgerwerke: Germany's largest citizen energy cooperative network, aggregating dozens of local energy cooperatives to supply renewable electricity to consumer-members; comparable business model and citizen-ownership philosophy, operating in a different national market.
- Som Energia: Catalan renewable energy cooperative supplying green electricity to ~100k members and operating own wind/solar generation; mirrors Champs d'énergie's cooperative ownership model and technology stack, though in the Spanish market.
Broad incumbents
- Luminus: Belgium's second-largest energy supplier and renewable generator (owned by EDF), active in onshore wind, solar and flexibility; overlaps with Champs d'énergie in Walloon wind development (e.g., the contested La Bruyère project) and serves the same residential/commercial customers with renewable offerings.
Others
- Aspiravi: Belgian renewable energy developer/operator, core partner of the Notre Énergie consortium and operator of the NorthWind offshore wind farm via Aspiravi Offshore; not a direct competitor but the infrastructure counterparty enabling Champs d'énergie's offshore exposure.
- Triodos Bank: Ethical bank that financed Champs d'énergie's Fernelmont wind turbine acquisition (€3.4M loan); not a competitor but a strategic enabling partner in citizen-energy financing and an industry reference in Belgium for mission-aligned renewable project capital.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
champs d'energie social profiles
Digital presencechamps d'energie financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
champs d'energie leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
champs d'energie subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
champs d'energie funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
champs d'energie M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about champs d'energie
What does champs d'energie do?
Champs d'énergie is a citizen energy cooperative that finances, develops, and operates renewable energy production assets — including onshore wind turbines, rooftop photovoltaic installations, biomass projects, and electric vehicle charging stations — using member share capital and bank loans. Citizens become cooperators by purchasing shares, gaining voting rights and access to dividends, while businesses and public entities host photovoltaic installations through a third-party investment model requiring no upfront cost. Electricity is supplied to members through partner Cociter at fair prices under a short-circuit model.
Is champs d'energie a public or private company?
champs d'energie is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was champs d'energie founded?
champs d'energie was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is champs d'energie based?
champs d'energie is headquartered in Fernelmont, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does champs d'energie make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Capital contributions from cooperators are the primary driver. The others are green certificate (certificat vert) revenue, forfeiture fees from photovoltaic installations and electricity sales through partnership.
Who are champs d'energie's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ecopower, Cociter, Enercoop, HesbEnergie and Nosse Moulin. Regional players are Bürgerwerke and Som Energia. Luminus is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Aspiravi and Triodos Bank.
Does champs d'energie have an API?
No public API is recorded for champs d'energie.
What industry is champs d'energie in?
champs d'energie's product category is Citizen Renewable Energy Cooperative. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAC, DER Aggregation & Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). Its NAICS code is 221115 and its SIC code is 4911.