Residual heat from Agfa-Gevaert heats 300 houses in new residential area

With the residual heat from industrial processes, Agfa-Gevaert will provide heating and hot water to some 300 homes in a nearby residential area. The heating network Warmte Verzilverd (‘Heat Silver Plated’) at the Minerve site in Edegem and Mortsel is a first for the province of Antwerp. It is the first heat network to use residual heat from industry to heat houses.

The start of the construction of the heat network is also the starting signal for the construction works in the new residential area, which looks set to welcome around 300 houses and apartments. The first residents will be able to move into their new homes in 2022. The new heat network will not only heat 300 homes and a thrift store, but also a production unit within Agfa-Gevaert itself. The municipalities of Mortsel and Edegem, the city of Antwerp and the province of Antwerp support the initiative, which is being implemented with financial backing from the government of Flanders.

The ground-breaking project is a collaboration between Agfa-Gevaert, project developer Revive and the Warmte Verzilverd network. It consists of energy cooperatives ZuidtrAnt-W and Ecopower and the consulting firm Kelvin Solutions. Together they are responsible for the development, realisation and management of the cooperative heating network, which is mainly financed with public capital. In other words, local residents can help invest in their own green heat network.