Ecoregion Antwerp, Belgium

The industrial region Antwerp, with over 500.000 people living in the city centre and surrounding districts, is located next to the river Scheldt. Antwerp can count on the second largest port of Europe and on two interesting business parks near the port area. Within the project framework and in order to build up the Antwerp eco-region, 2 industrial areas are identified: Terbekehof (TBH) and Kanaalkant (KK).The city has a total heat demand of 31 PJ, of which 14,5 PJ is in areas with a heat demand density of more than 300 TJ/km². Excess heat facilities (including waste-to-energyfacilities) with a theoretical output of more than 50 PJ are located within less than 15 kilometres away from the city centre. According to the Pan-European Thermal Atlas 4.3 Antwerp is identified as a heat synergy region (NUTS3 region ID: BE211) with a very high priority level 1.

Localisation

Terbekehof (TBH)

The Terbekehof industrial park (167 ha) is based in the Wilrijkdistrict. The business park is located along a major road, which connects Antwerp and Brussels, and is part of the various industrial and business parks along this road. Just south of the area, there is a water purification plant (Aartselaar WWTP).

To the north of the business park, there is an important green area. ISVAG is the Inter-municipal Waste Management Organisation in Antwerp is located south of the Terbekehof industrial park. Today ISVAG is responsible for processing household residual waste from more than 1 million inhabitants. ISVAG plans the construction of a new waste-to-energy plant on the site of the current waste-to-energy plant.

The objectives

Aim

To maximize the energetic efficiency by recovering further waste heat for DHN

Ambition

To expand the heat network beyond the city of Antwerp and surroundings.

In the meantime, the dimensioning of the first phase of the heat network considers the future capacity of the second phase. Together with POM Antwerp and the trade association (HIW), the city of Antwerp is working hard to realize the most sustainable, eco-friendly and energy-efficient business park in Flanders in terms of infrastructure, energy, green and waste policy.

Yes, we believe in energy cooperation

Our business park is going the extra mile on energy cooperation. We are happy to share our best practices and learn from other parks around Europe.

Localisation

Kanaalkant (KK)

The Kanaalkant industrial park (400 hectares: one of the largest industrial zones in Flanders) is consisting of sixclusters;all clusters beingconnected to the Albert Canal. It is located nearby the Port of Antwerp and close to residential area. This park is hosting over more than 800 companies and over more than 9000 people are working at this industrial site. Besides, several business associations are active in the region, e.g. Nijverheidskring. “Kanaalkant” is a partnership consisting of several governmental organisations with (great) ambitions to transform and revitalise this old, outdated industrial site into a circular state of the artindustrial zone.

The objectives

Aim

To detect projects that will leverage the industrial area in the direction of the circular ambitions of Kanaalkant, especially realising a far-reaching sustainable, circular industrial zone in the coming future. Exchange-projects for heat and cold can function as a leverage.

Ambition

The authorities no longer work from their ownpoint of view but combine their means through an area-based approach.

Moreover, a circular sustainability study has been carried out with a focus on feasible project plans at Kanaalkant, including a heat-exchange plan between users of a so-called food-cluster and residential area. From the inventory and consultation with stakeholders it was concluded that there was no possibility of mutual interaction exchange of residual heat between companies. Nonetheless, the realisation of a heat network with the nearby residential area is realistic. Other cases can be investigated with the R-ACES tools.