Belgium: IMOG inaugurates first EIB-Belfius “Smart Cities” project in Flanders

IMOG's CNG filling station officially entered into operation in Harelbeke last Friday. This was the first project to be delivered in Flanders under the European Investment Bank's and Belfius's "Smart Cities" programme.

The construction of the filling station will help to reduce the emissions produced by IMOG in carrying out household refuse collection throughout the region. Furthermore, not only will IMOG's vehicle fleet operations be "greener", but it will also be possible for private individuals and urban and municipal services to fill up at the new CNG station. CNG, or ‘Compressed Natural Gas’, is cheaper but also better for the environment as CO₂ emissions from CNG vehicles are far lower than those from petrol or diesel-engine vehicles. There is also a significant reduction in sulphur, benzene and particulate emissions. Additional advantages for the consumer are the fact that CNG is safe, provides a quieter ride than diesel engines, causes less wear and tear on engines because of lower combustion residues and it is cheaper to fill up.

IMOG Chairman Rik Soens is proud that the CNG filling station in Harelbeke will bear the “Smart City” label. "We are particularly pleased that we were able to count on the favourable rates offered by the European Investment Bank in collaboration with Belfius to fund this important project."

Dirk Gyselinck, a member of Belfius Bank's Management Committee, added: "Towns that want to remain attractive, whatever their size, have no choice but to become "smart". There is no shortage of ideas, but the concrete implementation of projects on the ground can still come up against the problem of funding. It was specifically to encourage the realisation of countless "smart" projects that were still at the planning or design stage throughout the country that Belfius, together with the EIB, came up with the "Smart Cities & Sustainable Development" programme.

Following on from the inauguration of the first EIB-Belfius “Smart Cities” project in Belgium – the town hall in Gembloux – this CNG filling station is the first project to be carried out in Flanders with a loan under the EIB's and Belfius's “Smart Cities & Sustainable Development” programme. The programme, which was launched in June 2014, makes EUR 400m available for carrying out ”smart and sustainable projects" that fit in with a "Smart Cities" approach. This means that they pay attention to mobility, urban development and/or energy efficiency. The cost of the loans is kept to a minimum to support the towns and municipalities in their innovative and sustainable approach. Half of the funds are provided by the EIB, the other half by Belfius.

EIB Vice-President Pim van Ballekom was pleased with the success of the "Smart Cities & Sustainable Development" programme: "The "Smart Cities & Sustainable Development" programme is a first in Belgium but also in Europe. The aim is to give "Smart Cities" a real boost, so that this becomes the new standard for building the towns and municipalities of the future. "Smart, inclusive and sustainable" projects, as provided for under the European Union's Europe 2020 Strategy, are the drivers of growth for these entities, and this will benefit their inhabitants."

Smart Cities and Sustainable Development

After the Belfius-EIB financing operation on favourable terms “Smart Cities & Sustainable Development” was launched, IMOG was quick off the mark to submit its project.application, and the appraisal was positive.

The construction of this CNG filling station came into consideration as the project exhibited a strategic, integrated, innovative and sustainable approach.

This was due to the following factors:

• The project fits in with IMOG's strategic EU 2020 approach, with, on the one hand, the reduction of its CO₂ footprint, including the "greening" of its own fleet of vehicles and the installed charging point for electric cars, and, on the other hand, also the strategy involving carrying out the door-to-door collection of refuse as from 1/1/2017 with "greener" vehicles.
• The project also fits in with the EU's 2020 Strategy of connected municipalities, which includes the greening of their fleets of vehicles.
• The promotion of cleaner transport: As a fuel CNG is far better for the environment but the number of filling stations is still too low. The construction of this CNG filling station, with a fast-fill facility, by an intermunicipal utility and its associated local authorities, as the only filling station in the area and on this busy road, will clearly do its bit to achieve the goal. The fact that the filling station will be accessible to the public at large round the clock, seven days a week will help to promote this type of vehicle among the public and make it a more attractive option.
• The participatory nature of the project, which means that the various economic actors in the area were and still are being closely consulted.

Belfius and the EIB felt that this project would contribute to sustainable mobility and set an example for other municipalities and intermunicipal authorities.

At the inaugural ceremony the “Smart City” label was presented to General Manager Johan Bonnier and Chairman Rik Soens by Torsten Brand, Senior Policy Adviser in the EIB's Brussels Office, and Marc Debaveye, Belfius's Director for Distribution for Public and Social Banking in Flanders.