Project for the recovery of the heat excess produced by the ArcelorMittal Belval plant in order to supply the Belval district heating network operated by SUDCAL
ArcelorMittal, the Ministry of Economy and SUDCAL have officially launched on January 11 an innovative project to recycle the heat generated by the plant’s facilities to feed the urban heating network of the Belval district.
This project was initiated by ArcelorMittal and is part of the sustainable development approach implemented by the Group in Luxembourg. It is reflected in various initiatives to reduce the electricity consumption of the facilities, reduce natural gas consumption, save the water needed for cooling the facilities, and recycle and recover steel by-products. This initiative was supported immediately and unreservedly by the Ministry of Economy and by SUDCAL.
The solution consists in using the fumes coming out at about 400°C from the reheating furnace of the sheet piles rolling mill, to heat water via an exchanger before injecting it into the heating network of the neighboring district.
This solution allows SUDCAL to benefit from an easily available energy source, which until now was not harnessed, and thus to avoid the energy consumption and the equivalent CO2 emissions required for the hot water production.
This system will cover 70% of the heating needs of the Belval district, equivalent to the consumption of 4,000 homes meeting the most stringent environmental standards.
The operational launch of this system is scheduled for mid-2018.
Etienne Schneider, Deputy-Prime Minister and Minister of Economy said: "In line with the conclusions of the Rifkin strategic study, the synergy between the ArcelorMittal industrial plant and the SUDCAL heat supplier is a typical example of sustainable energy supply in a so-called ’smart-district’. "
Roland Bastian, Head of Country ArcelorMittal Luxembourg and CEO of ArcelorMittal Belval said: "ArcelorMittal’s environmental footprint is a topic we are constantly working on. This project reflects our desire to contribute to the Grand Duchy’s efforts to reduce energy consumption nationally. This innovative system will help SUDCAL to save up to 18,000 MWh per year; this equals the amount of energy needed to heat 4,000 homes a year and reduce CO2 emissions by 5,000 tonnes per year. This initiative fits perfectly with ArcelorMittal’s will to promote sustainable development. "
From left to right: Tom Eischen - Government Commissioner for Energy, Etienne Schneider - Deputy-Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Roland Bastian - Head of Country ArcelorMittal Luxembourg and CEO of ArcelorMittal Belval; et Gérard Meyer - Ministry of Economy, Direction of the energy markets