​GreenChannel: letting everyone play a role in and benefit from green growth

We interviewed Mathieu Dancre, president and founder of GreenChannel, to talk about this new opportunity to take responsibility for the future of our energy.

Hello Mathieu, what distinguishes GreenChannel from other crowdfunding platforms?

First of all, we only showcase projects in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Then we audit every proposed project to make sure they are serious enough for investors.
We provide financial and legal support for the project leaders, with the goal of always providing investors with the highest possible security.

GreenChannel is a crowdfunding platform specifically meant for individual investors, even though corporations can also invest up to 100,000 euros per project.

Why would someone want to invest in projects on GreenChannel?

There are ecological and financial reasons:

- a desire to support the development of green energies and become an active participant in their growth. The current craze for the film Tomorrow demonstrates the need many people feel to get involved, each in his or her own way, in the movement towards a world that is more respectful of the future. Investing in a GreenChannel project is an easy way to do it.

- the local aspect: locals were given priority access to projects such as refinancing the Besse-sur-Issole solar plant. "The sun in PACA primarily benefits the people of PACA". After the period of local accessibility ends, then the project opens up to other investors

- in addition to being an act based on a conviction, investing in a GreenChannel project generates additional annual income for investors over time.

Tell us about the two projects that are currently being showcased on GreenChannel right now.

The two projects are similar because they’re both related to solar energy, and yet they’re also very different.

The Besse-sur-Isole project is about refinancing of one of the most powerful solar parks in France. It currently supplies more than 8,000 people with green electricity. The purpose of refinancing it is to continue developing new solar projects.
Residents of the PACA region had priority access to investing in the project through February 21st. The financial products being offered are amortized bonds.

The second ongoing project has to do with distributed solar. Again, it’s about refinancing an existing project. Based on an American model, the project is for individuals who want to rent the roof of their house to install solar panels. They earn income for 20 years and after this period own the panels (which are guaranteed for 25 years).
Again, the guarantee for investors is that the project involves tangible, existing assets, not a project that’s currently being created. The financial products offered to investors are also bonds.

And what’s next?

Next, we want to diversify our projects while of course remaining in the field of green crowdfunding, which is in our DNA, and while also offering investment opportunities whose risks are limited and carefully described on the platform.