Press Release - Ivarem
GREEN ENERGY PRODUCTION ON A CLOSED LANDFILL SITE
Seven years after filling and closing the IVAREM landfill site in Lierre, the site has been given a new designated purpose. The largest photovoltaic array in Flanders has been installed there. This power station produces green energy for some 840 Lierre households.
On 23 September 2003, after 14 years of operation, the IVAREM landfill site in Lierre was completely filled with some 1,200,000 tonnes of household and industrial waste. After dumping the last of the refuse, the landfill site was developed in accordance with the regulations governing the environment. Since its closure, IVAREM has been closely monitoring the development of the landfill site and has been collecting leachates and capturing gases. Since 1994, the gases have been recycled and converted into electricity and heat. At the time, IVAREM (formerly IGEMO) was already the precursor in Flanders by exploiting gases produced by a landfill site. In this respect, the IVAREM plants have long been a point of reference in Flanders.
Sixteen years later, IVAREM is taking a new step forward by building one of the largest photovoltaic arrays in Flanders on the closed landfill site. The installation consists of 14,448 photovoltaic panels generating installed power of 3,400 kWp. The 7,224 km of panels are divided into 49 rows providing a total surface area of 23,117 m². The panels are orientated and inclined in order to attain optimal production. The guaranteed annual output of the installation attains some 2,942,385 kWh/year, thus providing 840 households with green electricity. The majority of the electricity produced is reinjected into the public grid. IVAREM uses a limited proportion (10%) of the power produced to supply composting installations with green energy. IVAREM has invested approximately 11 million euros for the construction of the installations, from which it derives € 1.4 million annually thanks to its green certificates.
The construction of the photovoltaic array has been a real challenge. First of all because it was the first time that an array of such proportions had been built on a landfill site, and consequently there was little or no experience in this field. Then, the installations had to be built in record time as IVAREM wanted to be able to take advantage of the € 450 of green certificates. The goal was achieved thanks to the outstanding collaboration between IVAREM, supported by the engineering and design firm Miplan, and the MBG-Nizet consortium. Other stakeholders (the town of Lierre, Antwerp spatial planning, Eandis,…) also contributed to the success of the project. On 31 December 2009, phase 1 of the installation (3,047 kWp) was completed, accepted by the RGIE/AREI and ready for production. At the same time, the photovoltaic panels for phase 2 were installed and delivered for the first time. Phase 2 provides for the extension of the installation with the addition of 1,488 photovoltaic panels (350 kWp).
We achieved this on 28 January 2010. Eandis then authorised IVAREM to inject green electricity into the public grid. Since then, more than 300 MWh of green electricity has already been generated.
But the story does not stop there. On 27 February 2010, the phase 2 photovoltaic panels were fitted with current inverters, and the upgrade was accepted by the RGIE/AREI and could become operational. This upgrade has therefore been completed in accordance with VREG standards, which has been a bonus in terms of the awarding of the green certificates.
The official inauguration of the photovoltaic array on 16 April, in the presence of Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters, will be a memorable day for IVAREM, MBG-Nizet and Miplan. In less than a year's time, the former landfill site has been reconverted into a green energy producer for some 840 families of Lierre. We therefore have every reason to be proud of this achievement.