A large group of companies from the Port of Rotterdam, together with the Province of South Holland, the Municipality of Rotterdam, and the Port Authority Rotterdam N.V., continue to commit to the sustainability of the port and industry. On December 8, among others, Deputy Arne Weverling and Alderman Robert Simons signed the Deltalinqs Climate Program.
Deputy Arne Weverling: We need to accelerate, but with realism and a clear vision. That is the key to a competitive and sustainable future. And that requires cooperation, smart investments, and innovative solutions. These ingredients come together in the Deltalinqs Climate Program.
Sharing data saves
The Deltalinqs Climate Program is the umbrella for several agreements on sustainability in the port and industry. One of these agreements is that the parties seek area-specific solutions for grid congestion in the port area. In the Starlings project, six companies share data about their electricity, gas, and heat with each other. This way, as a business cluster, they can coordinate their needs and save a lot of energy and money. Grid operators are closely involved. This project can lead to 5% energy savings, 100 kilotons less CO2 emissions, and 15 megawatts of flexibility on the power grid.
Botlek heat network advances
With the signing of the Deltalinqs Climate Program, it was further agreed to take the next step in using residual heat in the Botlek area. In 2026, important steps will be taken to connect 12 companies through a pipeline transporting water at approximately 200° C. This way, companies in the Botlek area can move away from gas without needing to electrify. This is beneficial because the Botlek area already faces grid congestion. The province has contributed €2 million to this heat network.
Integrating wind energy in the port
A study by CE Delft this year showed that sustainable generation (for example, with wind energy) leads to a cheaper energy system. Therefore, the parties of the Deltalinqs Climate Program also want to explore where wind turbines can be integrated into the Rotterdam port area. Some of the wind turbines currently in place need to be replaced. This presents a great opportunity because the new generation turbines produce much more power than the old ones.
