The Andilly‑Les‑Marais community wind farm in France has been named the winner of the Fast and Fair Renewables Award. Wind projects from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands were also shortlisted, by an independent jury of experts, from a pool of European applicants. Launched for the first time this year, the award recognises renewable energy projects that show how accelerating the energy transition can go hand‑in‑hand with social justice, environmental stewardship and meaningful community engagement, in line with the five Fast and Fair principles. The award was presented by WindEurope CEO Tinne Van der Straeten during an award ceremony at WindEurope’s Annual Event.
The Andilly‑Les‑Marais Community Wind Farm, developed by Valorem in partnership with the citizen cooperative COOPEC and the municipality, demonstrates how wind energy can deliver concrete local value. The project generates enough electricity to power about 10,600 households, while embedding strong citizen governance: nearly 380 local residents invested €1.2 million, resulting in one-third citizen ownership and majority voting rights for all important decisions. The project delivers clear benefits, creating local jobs, providing a 5% return to citizen shareholders and reinvesting €62,000 annually into a community fund. This fund supports local initiatives, education on renewables and public infrastructure, combined with transparent engagement, long‑term local acceptance and nature‑positive compensation and restoration measures. In a territory historically marked by opposition to wind energy, Andilly‑Les‑Marais shows how wind energy can be fast, fair and firmly rooted in local communities.
The mayor of Andilly-Les-Marais, Sylvain Fagot, noted: “Today, it is not just a wind farm that you are honoring. It is an idea. A conviction. A collective commitment. This project, which we have been working on together for several years, is much more than a wind farm. It is the result of a strong commitment, a shared will, and exemplary cooperation between public stakeholders, citizens, associations, and committed businesses. And it symbolises something essential: our ability, together, to build the future of our region while respecting the environment and future generations.”
Arthur Hinsch, Coordinator of the Fast and Fair Renewables and Grids Initiative, and Guy Willems, Senior Advisor WindEurope – Environment & Community Engagement, spoke on behalf of the full award jury, stating:
“With the Fast & Fair Principles we now have a new cross-sector framework for the accelerated and fair deployment of renewables. The Community Wind Farm of Andilly-Les-Marais, with its excellent collaboration between a developer, energy community and the municipality fits perfectly with our joint positive message. By showcasing projects like this, we can accelerate the energy transition while ensuring communities across Europe benefit directly and meaningfully from renewables.”
