Brussels Airport plans to replace its central heating installation by early 2027 with a net zero carbon installation, which will heat the terminal buildings without emitting carbon dioxide.
Currently, the airport buildings in the area around the terminal are heated centrally by a gas-fired boiler plant, which provides energy to, among other things, the passenger terminal and piers, as well as to various buildings in the vicinity of the terminal. Two large cogeneration systems have been installed to this plant, which are far more efficient and also produce electricity alongside heat.
However, despite this and several other upgrades, the boiler plant continues to emit carbon dioxide. Thus, replacing it by an innovative alternative that does not use gas is an essential step in the journey towards net zero carbon emissions as it will reduce Brussels Airport’s total carbon emissions by around 70% (based on 2021 figures).
This investment that is also a first in Belgium. An installation on this scale (a total power of 21 megawatts) has never before been built in our country.
Arnaud Feist, CEO Brussels Airport Company
“This considerable investment once again shows that Brussels Airport Company is committed to reducing its carbon footprint through concrete initiatives that will yield concrete results within three years”, the company said in a statement. “Other initiatives to reduce the remaining 30% of carbon emissions are being examined.”
The Brussels Airport Company has been carbon neutral for its own emissions as airport operator since 2018. For all the buildings and infrastructure managed by the company, its own activities as a company and the fleet of operational vehicles, green energy is already being used, while any remaining emissions are offset. The ambition of the Brussels Airport Company is to achieve net zero carbon emissions for its own activities by no later than 2050 and to do everything in its power to achieve that ambition faster.
Therefore, the new heating installation uses no gas at all and is developed as a net zero carbon installation, without any CO2 emissions. A tendering process is being conducted for the implementation of this project, inviting candidates to submit a bid for the development of the new heating installation based on the latest technologies. The aim is to begin construction in 2025 and to have the heating installation operational by early 2027.
