Cooperation for a more sustainable future: Milcobel, Ecopower and Beauvent join forces

December 12, 2024 - Milcobel, a leading Belgian dairy cooperative, is taking an ambitious step toward a more sustainable future together with citizen cooperatives Ecopower and Beauvent. Solar installations of no less than 7.2 MWp will soon rise on the roofs of four Milcobel branches. The project, a paragon of cooperative cooperation, will provide sustainable energy for Milcobel's production processes and give citizens the opportunity to co-invest.
​

The project: cooperative solar power for a sustainable future

On the roofs of the Milcobel sites in Bruges, Langemark, Moorslede and Kallo, 11,000 solar panels will be installed with a total capacity of 7.2 MWp. With this project, we are saving about 35,000 tons of CO2 during the 25-year lifetime of the installation!

In Bruges, we are installing 1,256 solar panels, saving 4,000 tons of CO2.
​​
​All the solar energy generated will be used directly in Milcobel's production processes, thus significantly reducing the company's carbon footprint.
​

First steps in Bruges
​The first installation will be realized on the roof of the Bruges site (Dupont Cheese). The symbolic starting shot of the project will be given today in the presence of Alderman for Energy Pablo Annys.

Ambitious timing ​
​Construction of the solar installations has begun and will continue until the spring of 2025. This schedule allows the partners to build step by step an efficient system that ensures the highest standards of sustainability and profitability.

Citizen participation: investing in sustainability

Ecopower and Beauvent are each looking for cooperants to invest in shares so that citizens can contribute to this large-scale sustainable initiative and share in the profits. At Ecopower you can buy shares throughout the year and also take out an electricity contract. Beauvent is organizing a separate capital call for this project, starting on Dec. 18. By participating, citizens not only contribute to the energy transition, but also benefit financially from the proceeds of the project.
​​
​​
​​
​"At Milcobel, we are constantly striving to reduce our ecological footprint and to work more sustainably. This solar energy project, in cooperation with Ecopower and Beauvent, is an important step in that direction. By joining forces with these cooperative partners, we can not only make our production processes more sustainable, but also involve the community in our green ambitions." - Peter Grugeon, CEO Milcobel.
​​
​​
​​
​"Citizens are ready to invest in sustainable companies, we prove that again with this handsome cooperation. We are proud to use our experience to make Flemish companies highly sustainable. We actively involve employees and citizens in this sustainable story by letting them participate in these new solar installations on December 18." - Frédéric Haghebaert, General Manager Beauvent.

"The UN declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives. Symbolically, this project - a cooperation between three cooperatives - is very nicely timed. Together, Milcobel, Beauvent and Ecopower are creating positive impact for planet and society. "With this, we also hope to inspire other companies to opt for a future-proof, cooperative energy story." - Greet de Gueldre, vice president Ecopower.
​

"As alderman for Climate, I am obviously pleased with this realization. There is still a huge potential on the roofs of Bruges to make our city even more sustainable with solar panels. Collaborations with cooperative organizations such as Beauvent, Ecopower and other partners can offer great added value in this regard. Installing solar panels also remains an interesting investment for private citizens of Bruges: you make your own energy consumption more green and reduce your energy costs at the same time. In this legislature, I would therefore like to fully commit to supporting and encouraging our residents to take this step. In addition, we are happy to see that companies are also doing their part to contribute to the energy transition." - Alderman for Energy Pablo Annys.
​

Milcobel, towards more sustainability in the dairy sector

Milcobel is a leading player in the Belgian dairy industry: this cooperative unites 1,500 dairy farmers. With products such as cheese, butter, milk powder, cream and whey, Milcobel supplies high-quality dairy products at home and abroad. The company is strongly committed to innovation and sustainability, as evidenced by this large-scale solar energy project that will further green their production processes. In this way, Milcobel is actively contributing to lower CO2 emissions and future-oriented dairy production.
​​
​​
​

About Ecopower

Ecopower was founded in 1991 and has since become an established project developer and power supplier in the Belgian energy landscape. The citizens' cooperative has more than 200 large PV projects, 29 wind turbines and a heat network in its portfolio. These projects provide socially relevant organizations, governments, businesses and its more than 70,000 members with locally generated, sustainable, affordable energy. This project also adds dairy cooperative Milcobel to the list. As a cooperative, Ecopower is committed to accelerating energy transition with equal attention to ecology, economy and society.
​​
​​
​

Beauvent, pioneer in citizen cooperatives

Beauvent is a cooperative that directly engages citizens in the transition to renewable energy. They enable their cooperators to invest via capital calls in projects that have a positive impact on the environment. Since 2000, for example, they have already collected 18 million euros from 9,000 citizens. The funds are invested in local projects on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Beauvent actively pulls the cart of the energy transition and realized in recent years more than 200 solar installations, 5 wind turbines, 6 CHP plants and 2 heat networks in Ostend. By cooperating with Milcobel, they strengthen their role as motor of the energy transition.
​

Press contact Beauvent: Ini Dermaut, ini.dermaut@beauvent.be

Press contact Ecopower: Margot Vingerhoedt margot.vingerhoedt@ecopower.be

Press contact Milcobel: Kathleen De Smedt, kathleen.de.smedt@milcobel.com