Toward a Carbon Dioxide Neutral Industrial Park

The industrial park of Herdersbrug (Brugge, Flanders, Belgium) comprises 92 small and medium‐sized enterprises, a waste‐to‐energy incinerator, and a power plant (not included in the study) on its site. To study the carbon dioxide (CO2) neutrality of the park, we made a park‐wide inventory for 2007 of the CO2 emissions due to energy consumption (electricity and fossil fuel) and waste incineration, as well as an inventory of the existing renewable electricity and heat generation. The definition of CO2 neutrality in Flanders only considers CO2 released as a consequence of consumption or generation of electricity, not the CO2 emitted when fossil fuel is consumed for heat generation. To further decrease or avoid CO2 emissions, we project and evaluate measures to increase renewable energy generation. The 21 kilotons (kt) of CO2 emitted due to electricity consumption are more than compensated by the 25 kt of CO2 avoided by generation of renewable electricity. Herdersbrug Industrial Park is thus CO2 neutral, according to the definition of the Flemish government. Only a small fraction (6.6%) of the CO2 emitted as a consequence of fossil fuel consumption (heat generation) and waste incineration is compensated by existing and projected measures for renewable heat generation. Of the total CO2 emission (149 kt) due to energy consumption (electricity + heat generation) and waste incineration on the Herdersbrug Industrial Park in 2007, 70.5% is compensated by existing and projected renewable energy generated in the park. Forty‐seven percent of the yearly avoided CO2 corresponds to renewable energy generated from waste incineration and biomass fermentation.