Engie has started commercial operations at a 44MW wind farm at the Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, that will supply electricity to the International Car Operators (ICO).
The 11-turbine project will help ICO, a roll-on/roll-off cargo handler, reach carbon neutrality.
It will deliver about 110 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 50,000 tonnes annually.
The local energy production is used, among other things, for 308 electric charging points that were also installed by Engie in 2019.
The electric charging island, with a total capacity of 3.4MW, can charge more than 20,000 electric vehicles per week with green electricity.
Engie said the wind farm will also provide shore power for ships moored at the quay.
Engie Benelux chief executive Philippe Van Troeye: “Engie, the largest renewable electricity producer in Belgium, is committed to playing a pioneering role in the transition to a carbon neutral future and has ambitious goals: by 2030 we want to increase our onshore wind energy capacity to 1000MW.
“With these 11 wind turbines with a total capacity of 44MW at the ICO terminal, we are already one step closer to achieving that objective.”
ICO chair Svein Steimler said: “ICO not only wants to be the largest roll-on roll-off terminal in the world, but also the greenest terminal through initiatives such as the use of wind turbines, solar panels on the vehicle processing centres, water recovery systems for the car wash – washing 500 cars with only 20 litres of rainwater – heat pumps for heating buildings, LED terminal lighting, EV shuttle cars and at a later stage shore power for ships.”
Marc Adriansens, Managing Director of ICO Zeebrugge: “The automotive sector is facing the most radical change in its history. Sustainability will thus become the norm and electrification will be further implemented in all car brands. As an important player in the sector, we therefore want to be ready for the future and respond to this by placing this onshore wind farm. “
Port of Zeebrugge chief executive Tom Hautekiet said: “Port of Zeebrugge is actively further developing a Clean Port. In the context of energy transition and sustainability, we therefore have an ambitious view of the future for our port.
“The size of ICO Windpark is an important link in making operations in and around the port more sustainable.”