Toward a Carbon Dioxide Neutral Industrial Park

Summary 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 (CO 2 ) neutrality of the park, we made a park‐wide inventory for 2007 of the CO 2 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 CO 2 neutrality in Flanders only considers CO 2 released as a consequence of consumption or generation of electricity, not the CO 2 emitted when fossil fuel is consumed for heat generation. To further decrease or avoid CO 2 emissions, we project and evaluate measures to increase renewable energy generation. The 21 kilotons (kt) of CO 2 emitted due to electricity consumption are more than compensated by the 25 kt of CO 2 avoided by generation of renewable electricity. Herdersbrug Industrial Park is thus CO 2 neutral, according to the definition of the Flemish government. Only a small fraction (6.6%) of the CO 2 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 CO 2 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 CO 2 corresponds to renewable energy generated from waste incineration and biomass fermentation.