W&nergy, a subsidiary of the biomass-based energy transition firm Charwood Energy, has announced the launch of a two-million-euro crowdfunding loan on Enerfip, a prominent platform dedicated to financing the energy transition. This capital offering is structured as standard bonds with a gross annual interest rate of 9% over a three-year investment term. The campaign is designed to finalize the funding for W&nergy’s inaugural proprietary pyro-gasification facility, currently under construction at the Verallia France glass manufacturing site in Cognac. By shifting from a pure engineering and design provider to an asset-owning energy producer, the Charwood Energy Group aims to establish a long-term revenue model while supplying industrial customers with renewable synthesis gas (syngasSyngas, or synthesis gas, is a fuel gas mixture consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It is produced during gasification and can be used as a fuel source or as a feedstock for producing other chemicals and fuels.   More) and biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More.

The major challenge addressed by this initiative is the severe difficulty of decarbonizing high-temperature, energy-intensive industrial sectors where direct electrification remains technologically or economically unfeasible. Large industrial sites, such as glass manufacturing plants, depend heavily on natural gas to reach the extreme temperatures necessary for their production processes. Additionally, sustainable technology developers face substantial financial hurdles when transitioning from capital-light engineering roles into asset-heavy ownership models. Securing the final tranches of mezzanine debt for complex infrastructure projects remains a critical bottleneck, requiring innovative financing structures that can de-risk industrial investments while providing reliable capital.

The partnership resolves these challenges by integrating localized thermochemical conversion technology with a structured community-lending financing model. The pyro-gasification facility, which commenced construction in February 2026, converts locally sourced biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More from within a 100-kilometer radius into renewable syngas and high-stability biochar. By utilizing the Enerfip crowdfunding campaign, W&nergy secures the final two million euros in mezzanine debt needed to finish construction, backing the transaction with a 100% guarantee through pledged shares as collateral. This localized energy asset provides a steady, practical alternative to fossil fuels for industrial thermal applications while simultaneously offering a practical method for long-term carbon storage through biochar production.

The outcomes of this transaction will enable the Cognac facility to deliver approximately 30,000 megawatt-hours of renewable syngas annually, which will be injected directly into Verallia’s glass furnace to cover roughly 20% of its energy needs. The project is expected to mitigate approximately 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year under a secure 21-year syngas offtake agreement. Furthermore, the successful completion of this financing round validates a replicable funding framework that W&nergy intends to roll out across other energy-intensive industrial sites throughout France. In addition to clean energy production, the operation yields high-value biochar, providing the industrial sector with a reliable supply of stable co-products for diverse industrial valorization.