EUR 800,000 FOR WASTE HEAT

[BIZ: Sittard–Geleen, April 16]
Councilor Ruud Guyt has received a sustainability certificate and a EUR 800,000 in subsidy, which is to be used for the development of the energy project, known as the Green Net. In this project industrial waste heat and heat from the BES biomass power plant used for heating and cooling will be used for a number of new buildings and renovation projects in Sittard–Geleen.

In the first instance 2,000–3,000 housing units and around 100,000m2 of office space will be heated and cooled using this system. The amount of waste heat available in the municipality will, in the long run, be sufficient to provide energy for the centers of Sittard and Geleen. Councilor Ruud Guyt says ‘The Green Net is going to put us on the sustainability project map.’ The minister has congratulated Sittard–Geleen for its approach.

One of the first buildings that will receive energy form this network is the Dobblesteen location where there will be new commercial properties, the municipal administrative center, cultural activities and the Hogeschool Zuyd.

The municipality is negotiating with the ZO Wonen housing company, the province and Limburg and a private party on their participation in the Green Net. The project is unique in the Netherlands; and, companies active on the Chemelot site, headed by USG - a combine involving DSM and SABIC - provide energy for the campus. It also provides the best opportunity for waste heat applications at business locations outside the immediate area. Use is to be made of existing waste heat, which will be distributed via an underground duct system to energy users in the municipality.

A heat-absorption pump can convert the hot to cold and, in addition to the lower energy costs, the energy users have the advantage of the fact that homes and buildings do not require a lot of installations and do not have the potential danger of gas piping. Central heating equipment is not required either.

The project is also going to provide employment. Installation of the system will take 150–200 man-years of work and the energy company will employ five to ten people. Total investment will be between EUR 20m to EUR 25m and there is the extra option of providing energy outside the municipality.

http://www.sittardgeleen.nl/