Successful €3.3 million crowdfunding completed for two cogeneration units in Hauts-de-France

Avion, France, June 23, 2021 – La Française de l’Énergie (Euronext: LFDE – ISIN: FR0013030152), leader in industrial ecology, and Lendosphere, the leading crowdfunding platform dedicated to sustainable development projects, announce the success and closing of the crowdfunding campaign for the project dedicated to the construction of two cogeneration units. The target set at €3.3 million was achieved thanks to 489 investors and the contribution of La Nef bank for €1 million.

A good example of complementarity between bank financing and crowdfunding

The crowdfunding campaign dedicated to financing the construction of two cogeneration units located in Avion, in Pas-de-Calais, was successfully completed on the Lendosphere platform. In total, €3.3 million has been invested by 489 private lenders including La Nef, an ethical banking cooperative that offers credit solutions geared exclusively to projects of social, ecological and / or cultural means. This crowdfunding campaign covers part of the equity deployed by La Française de l’Energie.

“The success of this crowdfunding proves the relevance for financial institutions and platforms to work together for the success of projects with impact. The model simplifies and speeds up businesses’ access to financing, which brings together private and professional investors who share the same values.” explains Laure Verhaeghe, CEO of Lendosphere.

“For many years, La Nef bank has developed expertise in the financing of renewable energies, and we are committed to support all players in the sector. Working with Lendosphere has enabled us to support La Française de l’Energie from the early stages of this project. This mixed financing model, involving private investors alongside us, also helps to defend a model of people’s driven ecological transition in which we strongly believe”, specifies Jean-Christophe Cholot, Key Account Advisor and renewable energies expert at La Nef.

489 investors involved in the energy transition alongside La Française de l’Energie

“We warmly thank the 489 citizen-lenders and La NEF for their trust and support in this project. The  fundraising largely exceeded the objective initially set, and its success confirms our desire to involve citizens and professionals in the development of energy solutions with strong environmental, economic and social impacts for the local communities,” welcomes Julien Moulin, President of La Française de l’Énergie.

By capturing abandoned mine methane to avoid its release to the atmosphere and converting it into electricity, over 150,000 tonnes of CO2eq emissions will be avoided annually thanks to Avion’s new cogeneration units. Their commissioning is scheduled in the next few months. Lenders will be informed of the completion of the site and the annual results of the installation.

The terms and conditions of this crowdfunding investment (interest rate, duration, etc.) remain available on : www.lendosphere.com/avion.