Ventis and Engie have officially commissioned a new onshore wind farm in Courcelles, Belgium, marking a key addition to the country’s renewable energy infrastructure.
The eight-turbine facility, located in Gouy-Lez-Piéton, has a total installed capacity of nearly 29 megawatts (MW) and is expected to generate around 51 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually. This output is equivalent to the consumption of approximately 14,500 households and is projected to avoid 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The project is a joint venture, with Ventis owning six turbines and Engie operating two. Each turbine has a capacity of 3.6MW.
“This wind farm is concrete proof of this: clean, locally produced energy at the service of citizens and the community,” said Federal Minister for Mobility, Climate and the Environment Jean-Luc Crucke. “It shows that our country is capable of making progress towards greater energy independence and greater resilience.”
The project, launched over 13 years ago, includes environmental measures aimed at reducing its impact on local wildlife. Eight hectares of land have been designated to support bird species sensitive to wind turbine activity. An automated system is also in place to temporarily shut down the turbines during high-risk periods for bats, based on season, time of day and weather conditions.
Noise emissions from the wind farm will be monitored by an independent engineering firm to ensure compliance with regulations and minimise impact on nearby residents.
Engie Belgium CEO Vincent Verbeke said, “It is another step on the road to decarbonisation, a major and increasingly pressing challenge for our planet. This challenge can be met thanks to projects like this, which produce sustainable, reliable and affordable energy.”
The commissioning underscores Belgium’s ongoing efforts to expand domestic renewable energy capacity as part of its broader climate and energy transition goals.
