Largest floating solar park in Belgium unveiled in Antwerp province

Belgium’s largest solar panel park floating on water has been unveiled in Antwerp province. At five hectares, it’s the size of 10 football fields.

The park is floating on standing water in a sand quarry that straddles the border between Dessel and Mol. The park will generate enough power for 2,000 households in the towns.

But that’s only a fraction of the power that will be supplied; some 80% will go to running the Sibelco sand quarry, which is responsible for maintaining the panels together with energy provider Luminus and private investors.

The panels will begin delivering green energy by next month, “the value of which cannot be underestimated,” said provincial governor Cathy Berx (CD&V).

Brussels first windmill?

While the Sibelco site is now Belgium’s largest waterborne solar panel park, it is not the first one. That honour goes to Hesbaye Frost, producers of frozen vegetables in northern Liege province, which placed 2.5 hectares of solar panels in one of its spent water basins two years ago.

In Anderlecht, meanwhile, Coca-Cola has placed 4,000 solar panels on the property of its Belgian headquarters. According to the company, this will reduce CO2 emissions by 295 tons.

It also announced that it wants to place a wind turbine, which would be the first one in Brussels. In partnership with Luminus, Coca-Cola will soon begin preliminary research on the options. The companies hope the turbine will begin producing energy for the company within two years.