ECLUSE

In Waasland Port, the left bank of Antwerp's port, Indaver, in collaboration with partners, constructed a pipe network 'ECLUSE' to convey steam from its waste-to-energy site to five companies. These industrial companies draw on the steam as needed, allowing them to switch off their own steam boilers. As a result, a CO₂ saving of 100 000 tonnes per annum is realized.

The steam ECLUSE transports is generated during combustion in Indaver en SLECO's waste-to-energy site consisting of three grate incinerators and three fluidized bed incinerators.

The steam is transported efficiently and without appreciable loss, by using superheated steam at high pressure (approx. 40 bar) and high temperature (approx. 400°C). The hot water is fed back to Indaver and SLECO via a condensate pipe, where it is reused as feedwater in the steam boiler. The insulated pipelines are around 5 kilometres in length and are laid partly underground, partly above ground.

“Ecluse is a project on a global scale, only possible thanks to the contribution of all the partners and the support of the Flemish government. Moreover, this project is proof that “Circular Flanders” is not a far off dream and that we can achieve great things if we combine forces." 
Paul De Bruycker, Indaver CEO

The energy provision is flexible: businesses use the steam whenever they need it. Furthermore, by connecting to this network, which produces heat that is 50% green, they can fully or partly replace their own gas-fuelled boilers that produce 100% grey energy. This leads to an overall fall in their energy consumption.

ECLUSE has been operational since 2019. Annually, the incinerators produce steam with a maximum power of approximately 250 MW. Thanks to the direct validation of this steam, this delivers an annual CO₂ saving of 100 000 tonnes, similar to the annual CO₂ reduction from 50 2.3 MW wind turbines. In addition, the network has been designed to allow for future growth, and to be able to generate a CO₂ saving equal to the reduction gained from the installation of 100 wind turbines. 

At present, ECLUSE supplies steam to 5 companies: logistics partner for the chemical industry ADPO, chemicals producers Ashland, Monument Chemical and INEOS Phenol, and rubber and plastics producer LANXESS. Other companies may join at a later date. ECLUSE will double capacity compared with the current demand for steam. This will also allow companies that joined from the beginning to buy additional heat at a later stage.

ECLUSE is a partnership of Indaver, SLECO, Maatschappij Linkerscheldeoever (MLSO), FINEG and the water company Water-Link.  ECLUSE called on the know-how of  network company Fluvius for the construction and operation of the steam network. 

This heating network creates a reliable, sustainable and cost-effective energy provision – just one more reason for the participating companies to continue to choose the Antwerp port region. This network could be the beginning of an intensive heating network for the whole industrial area. The Flemish Government has therefore pledged 10 million euros of ecology aid to the ECLUSE project.