Borealis Transforms Company Parking Lots into Solar Farms in Collaboration with ENGIE

Starting this month, Borealis deploys solar canopies with a total capacity of 3.3 MWp on the parking lots of its Belgian manufacturing sites in Kallo and Beringen. Equipped with nearly 4,800 bifacial solar panels, the canopies are expected to generate 3,250 MWh of renewable energy per year, saving 550 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The solar canopies were installed by ENGIE Sun4Business, the subsidiary of energy utility ENGIE that offers solar power as a service to businesses in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions, and ENGIE announce the completion of a 3.3 MWp solar project, where a total number of nearly 4,800 bifacial solar panels was mounted on parking canopies across two locations in Flanders, Belgium. The canopies provide sheltered parking spaces to almost 500 cars and come with charging points for electric vehicles, enhancing parking comfort for staff and visitors of the Borealis sites in Kallo and Beringen, in the north of Belgium.

After a competitive sourcing exercise, Borealis selected ENGIE Sun4Business as preferred partner for constructing the solar canopies. ENGIE Sun4Business designed, built, and financed the project and will operate and maintain the system under a solar power as a service model. Borealis purchases 100% of the generated renewable energy under a long-term agreement of 15 years, after which the company becomes full owner of the solar canopies, benefitting from free electricity for the system’s expected remaining lifespan of 10-15 years.

Through this project, Borealis reduces its CO2 emissions in Belgium with 550 tons per year and contributes to the EU’s target to boost the share of renewables in the final energy consumption up to 42.5% by 2030.

“This solar installation project represents a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainability and renewable energy. By transforming our parking lots into solar farms, we are not only reducing our own carbon footprint but also our customers’ carbon footprint, while contributing to the EU’s goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption. This collaboration with ENGIE underscores our dedication to creating a more sustainable future for our company and the communities we serve" comments Craig Arnold, Borealis Executive Vice President, Polyolefins, Circular Economy Solutions and Base Chemicals..

Vincent Verbeke, CEO of ENGIE Belgium: “Supporting our clients in their transition to Net Zero is one of the main pillars of our strategy in Belgium. We are very proud to work together with important industrial actors like Borealis, who are crucial partners in the energy transition, and to help them reduce their CO2 emissions with solutions that take into account technical and site constraints and local energy requirements.”

END