ENGIE and Thales in Belgium sign a local wind-powered renewable electricity PPA
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by Laurène Stoesser - Article
- Publié le 09/04/2026
Reducing environmental footprint has become a strategic imperative for companies across all sectors. In Belgium, Thales Belgium and Thales Alenia Space Belgium, active in aerospace, defence, security and, digital protection, are illustrating how an ambitious energy strategy can deliver measurable results.
To accelerate this journey, Thales has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with ENGIE, enabling a significant share of the Charleroi site’s electricity consumption to be covered by wind power produced in Belgium.
As Alain Quevrin, CEO of Thales Belgium, puts it: “How can we reduce our footprint? By reducing water consumption and reducing electricity consumption.”
A 5-year physical PPA backed by wind power in Belgium
This collaboration takes the form of a 5-year, physical, “as-produced” downstream PPA bundled with Guarantees of Origin (GO), sourced from an onshore wind asset owned by ENGIE. Over the contract term, the PPA will deliver 25 GWh from the Gent Darsen CBM onshore wind project.
This contract complements Thales’ broader energy mix. Pierre Desmaele, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Belgium, explains: “Today, 10% of our needs are covered by solar panels… around 20% by cogeneration… and 35% by energy produced via a wind PPA installed in Ghent.”
Why a PPA and what impact?
Cécile Préat, Account Manager at ENGIE BtoB Belgium, summarizes the model: “A PPA is a long-term contract between a renewable energy producer and a buyer.”
In this case, the main benefits are clear:
- Long-term price visibility
- Lower CO₂ emissions
- Support for the development of renewable generation in Belgium
The impact is concrete: the contracted wind turbine produces around 4 GWh per year, helping avoid approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to around 450 cars.
What ENGIE brings to the project
This agreement illustrates ENGIE’s ability to structure corporate PPAs backed by renewable generation and certified Guarantees of Origin, while supporting customers with decarbonized, reliable and affordable energy solutions tailored to their operational realities.
According to internal project feedback, the agreement was completed in just three months, highlighting the teams’ ability to move quickly from discussion to execution.