ExxonMobil and ENGIE develop wind farm in Meerhout that will supply site with green energy

"ExxonMobil is committed to net-zero scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050, including looking at low-carbon energy sources for its plants," said Inge Van der Meeren, president of ExxonMobil's Meerhout Polymers Plant. "When the project comes on stream, the wind-generated electricity will be used to partially power our plant and help reduce emissions in the region."

ENGIE, through the public-private partnership Wind4Flanders, plans to build three wind turbines on the ExxonMobil chemical site and a fourth turbine in the immediate vicinity. This park is estimated to supply 44 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity annually, equivalent to the average consumption of more than 14,800 households¹. Over the expected project life of 25 years, the energy generated by the wind farm could reduce approximately 175,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions².

ENGIE will own and operate the wind turbines. The project complements ENGIE’s growing onshore wind energy capacity in Belgium, which already generates 511 megawatts of electricity from more than 70 wind farms.

"The current geopolitical and economic context shows us more than ever that local renewable energy production, including wind energy, is the cornerstone of the energy transition," says Thierry Saegeman, CEO of ENGIE Belgium. "ENGIE has been developing affordable and sustainable solutions for its customers for decades. Collaborations like this bring us one step closer to our goal of doubling our onshore wind energy capacity to 1000 MW by 2030 and accelerating the transition to a carbon-neutral future."

The final design of the wind project depends on the permit application process, which will be submitted at the end of November. Subject to obtaining the necessary approvals and the permit application process, the park could be put into service in 2025. Prior to the submission of the permit, ENGIE will organize an information session for the residents of Meerhout and Laakdal. More information about the project can be found at www.engie.be/meerhout-exxonmobil .

¹Figure based on the average electricity consumption published by the Flemish energy regulator VREG.

²Figure based on the Belgian average grid emission factor in 2020.