Wallonia’s First Subsidy-Free Solar Farm with Batteries
A pioneering solar park that combines photovoltaic panels, industrial-scale battery storage, and sheep grazing has been inaugurated in Fleurus, Wallonia — marking the first time a fully market-exposed renewable energy project has secured bank financing in the region without subsidies or guaranteed feed-in tariffs.
Developed by Etherr.a, the merged entity of Belgian developer Ether Energy and French investor Terr.a, the Soleilmont project represents a significant milestone in Belgium’s energy transition. Located on a 7-hectare former mining extraction zone between the R3 ring road and the Bois de Soleilmont in Heppignies, the park features 9,200 photovoltaic panels installed using zero-concrete technology, with a total capacity of 5.5 to 5.6 MWp.
A New Model for Solar Financing
What sets Soleilmont apart is its financial structure. According to La Libre Belgique, Alex Houtart, COO of Etherr.a, described the project as a regional first: “This is the first time that a firm solar & storage project, fully exposed to market prices, has obtained bank financing.”
Unlike many renewable energy projects that rely on government subsidies or guaranteed purchase prices, Soleilmont will sell its electricity directly on the spot market. The €5 million investment was financed through conventional bank lending, signaling that the solar sector in Belgium has reached a level of maturity where projects can stand on their own economic merit.
Firm Solar & Storage: Solving Intermittency
The project introduces Wallonia’s first “Firm Solar & Storage” (FSS) system, coupling solar production with a 5 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) capable of delivering 3.5 MW of power. The battery stores electricity generated during peak sunlight hours and releases it during evening demand peaks, making solar energy dispatchable and more valuable on the market.
As DHnet/Les Sports+ reported, the battery enables a simple but transformative capability: “With the battery, we can store the energy produced at noon to inject it in the evening.” The system also provides grid stabilization services to Elia, Belgium’s transmission system operator, generating additional revenue through flexibility markets.
Agriculture and Energy in Harmony
Soleilmont is an agrivoltaic project, meaning the land serves dual purposes. The solar panels are mounted on fixed structures raised one meter above the ground, allowing approximately 50 ewes from a local farm in Gerpinnes to graze beneath them. The sheep are managed using dynamic rotational grazing across three fenced parcels, a technique that promotes soil regeneration and improves forage quality.
The project also includes significant biodiversity measures: 445 meters of new hedges have been planted, and 1.2 hectares have been converted to permanent grassland. The panels themselves occupy just 2.4 hectares of the 7-hectare site, with the remaining space dedicated to agricultural and ecological functions.
A Milestone for Belgian Renewables
The Soleilmont project, which became operational in May 2026 and has a 30-year lifespan, generates approximately 6,000 MWh annually — enough to power between 1,700 and 3,000 households, depending on the source. It was officially inaugurated on June 24, 2026, by Loïc D’Haeyer, Mayor of Fleurus.
Etherr.a, which employs 25 experts across Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, controls the entire value chain from land acquisition to operations, including construction through its in-house EPC contractor SunBuild. The company’s development pipeline totals 1,300 MW across 100 projects, with a target of 1 GW installed capacity by 2030.
The project is the second major agrivoltaic installation by the group in Wallonia, following the Wierde project — a 13-hectare site along the E411 near Namur that became operational in 2023 and was the first large-scale agrivoltaic project in the region.
What This Means for the Future
Soleilmont’s success in obtaining bank financing without subsidies could serve as a template for future renewable energy installations across Belgium and beyond. The combination of solar generation, battery storage, and agricultural land use demonstrates that clean energy projects can be both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.
However, the model is not without risks. Revenue from battery optimization depends on market conditions and is not guaranteed, while the project’s financial viability relies on continued stability in electricity prices and flexibility service markets. As Belgium grapples with the challenge of integrating growing solar capacity alongside its nuclear fleet, projects like Soleilmont will be closely watched as potential blueprints for a more flexible, resilient energy system.