W&nergy and Enerfip launch crowdfunding campaign for pyrolysis project in France

W&nergy in France has initiated a two-million-euro crowdfunding campaign on Enerfip to complete financing for its pyro-gasification facility. This project aims to supply renewable syngas and biochar to reduce carbon emissions at an energy-intensive industrial site.

W&nergy, a subsidiary of Charwood Energy, launched the crowdfunding loan on Enerfip, a platform focused on energy transition financing. The offering is structured as standard bonds with a 9% gross annual interest rate over three years. The campaign will finalize funding for W&nergy’s first proprietary pyro-gasification facility, currently under construction at Verallia France's glass manufacturing site in Cognac. Charwood Energy Group seeks to transition from engineering services to asset ownership, providing renewable syngas and biochar to industrial clients.

This initiative addresses the challenge of decarbonizing high-temperature industrial sectors where electrification is not feasible. Glass manufacturing plants, for example, rely on natural gas for high temperatures. Transitioning to asset-heavy models poses financial challenges for technology developers. Innovative financing structures are needed to secure mezzanine debt for complex projects, reducing investment risks.

The partnership combines localized thermochemical conversion technology with community-lending financing. The pyro-gasification facility, begun in February 2026, converts biomass sourced within 100 kilometers into renewable syngas and biochar. The Enerfip campaign secures the final two million euros in mezzanine debt, backed by pledged shares as collateral. This facility offers a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for industrial applications and a method for carbon storage through biochar.

The Cognac facility will deliver about 30,000 megawatt-hours of renewable syngas annually, covering 20% of Verallia’s energy needs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 6,000 tons per year under a 21-year syngas offtake agreement. The financing round's success validates a funding model that W&nergy plans to replicate at other industrial sites in France. Besides clean energy, the operation produces biochar, offering stable co-products for industrial use.