About 90% of Antwerp's heating requirements are currently met by fossil fuels such as oil and gas, which negatively impact the environment. This led the city to seek sustainable and affordable alternatives that will help it achieve its climate goals for 2050. Under the Antwerp Climate Plan 2030, it aims to accelerate its sustainability roadmap and achieve a 55% reduction in emissions compared with 2005 levels by 2030. One key part of this strategy is expanding district heating in Antwerp, using residual heat as a low-carbon energy source.
The sustainable district heating system will transport residual heat from major industrial businesses to buildings in the city through an underground network. The aim is to connect the equivalent of 35,000 homes by 2030. With its proximity to the port, home to Europe's largest chemical cluster, Antwerp is ideally positioned to implement this large-scale energy solution—truly a first for Belgium.
Arcadis Belgium, Arcadis Netherlands, and AKD took on the coordinating role in 2020. Together, we will explore how large parts of the city can be provided with a district heating network. This involves challenges such as determining the best location for installation, which buildings will be connected, and which market model and policies will be used to regulate access. As advisors, we have drawn up a 'Roadmap 2030' for the implementation of this complex district heating network program and are providing the city with technical and legal expertise.
This sustainable program will cover 10% of Antwerp's heating requirements by 2030, laying the foundation to be climate-neutral by 2050. To turn this vision into a reality, we need to start thinking now about how heating demands and other planned infrastructure projects will evolve in the future. By using residual heat, this district heating network enhances energy security and promotes more stable prices and will serve as a model for other cities aiming to achieve their goals of climate neutrality.
Our unique location close to the port offers huge potential in terms of residual heat, making district heating networks an important opportunity when it comes to making our city climate neutral by 2050. With our ambitious action plan to develop district heating networks and with the support of Arcadis, Over Morgen and AKD, we are ramping up our efforts to effectively achieve our goals.
We are talking here about the blueprint for our future heating policy. We have the port right here in our backyard, and this opens up some amazing opportunities for Antwerp. This project will allow us to create a large-scale heating link between the port and the city. In the long term, we will be able to help tens of thousands of families say goodbye to CO<sub>2</sub>. Residual heat is a smart choice that offers so many possibilities. We hope that this project will inspire other cities and municipalities.
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