Pairi Daiza backing green, local energy
Last year, Pairi Daiza officially opened its 7,000-space photovoltaic carport, the largest in the world. This feat of engineering was achieved with end-to-end support from the park’s partner Perpetum Energy, an energy transition specialist. “Pairi Daiza wanted to reduce its environmental footprint,” explains Jérôme Flament, Head of Sales at Perpetum Energy. “Given the site’s huge energy needs, we worked with Pairi Daiza in order to meet those needs with clean energy.”
Avoided emissions equal to 57 million km of car journeys
“The solution has two advantages: providing sufficient parking space for the site and producing green electricity,” he continues. It was an unusual project in which sustainability played a fundamental role. Its 62,750 solar panels make it Wallonia’s largest photovoltaic facility, and the avoided emissions that result equate to 57 million km of car journeys. “That means 6,860 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided per year.”
Carbon-neutral in three years
The facility’s annual generation capacity of 20,000 MWh is designed to cover potential extensions of the site. “At the moment, the surplus power it generates is fed back into the grid, but it will also be used to charge visitors’ electric cars,” says Jérôme Flament. The zoo attracts 2 million visitors per year, and plans to install up to 800 charging points. The project is green from start to finish, and even the carport’s structure is made of wood from local, sustainable sources. “The aim is to reduce the environmental footprint as far as possible. The project’s carbon footprint will also be offset within three years.”
Everybody wins
The photovoltaic carport cost €20 million, which was funded by external partners via Green4Power, which owns the facility. “We supply electricity in return for attractive royalty payments,” explains Jérôme Flament. “Pairi Daiza has met its objective of gaining access to electricity that is green, local and also cheaper, without having to invest millions of euros.” The arrangement benefits all parties and was made possible by the support of BNP Paribas Fortis, which encourages and facilitates sustainable transition among businesses. “It played a vital role in financing both the development phase, which can take two to three years, and the construction phase.”
Entrepreneurial success stories
At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to support pioneering and inspiring companies like Perpetum Energy and Pairi Daiza. Working together to forge new ways of doing business: another example of Positive Banking.