Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – “Energiek Sint-Niklaas” offers free energy screening to local businesses like Krea Colifac (2,000 solar panels). Kristof Van Gansen promotes local green energy sharing to meet climate goals.
As VRT News reported, in Sint-Niklaas, a new program called “Energiek Sint-Niklaas” started. They mentioned that its goal is to help local businesses use energy in a greener way. Businesses can get a free energy screening to see how much energy they use. The screening finds ways to save energy and gives them a plan.
The city wants to help businesses that want to be more eco-friendly but don’t know how or can’t afford it. By offering this free service, Sint-Niklaas hopes to help the area become more sustainable and use its energy.
How is Sint-Niklaas helping businesses go green and save?
Kristof Van Gansen, who is in charge of climate in Sint-Niklaas, wants all local businesses to get the free energy screening. He says the plan they get will help them make changes right away. Using less energy helps companies save money and lets them share extra energy with “Energiek Sint-Niklaas.”
Van Gansen says that when companies change how they think about energy and use green solutions, they help the environment. Through “Energiek Sint-Niklaas,” businesses can be part of a community that shares energy, helping the whole area.
The furniture store Krea Colifac, found on Heidebaan, is a big part of the “Energiek Sint-Niklaas” energy group. They’ve put 2,000 solar panels on their roof to be greener. Pieter Van den Poel, the boss, says the store uses about 70% of the solar power for things like lights and machines.
The other 30% of the extra energy doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it’s shared with other local energy group members through “Energiek Sint-Niklaas.” He mentioned that this helps make sure that clean energy made locally is used by the community, rather than being sold for less money.
Pieter Van den Poel says that Krea Colifac and other businesses in the energy group both win. By joining “Energiek Sint-Niklaas,” companies get better deals than they would from regular energy companies. They get a better price for the electricity they put into the local network, and they pay less to use the energy.
He mentioned that this helps Krea Colifac use its solar energy investment well. Other community members also get cheaper, green energy. This local energy sharing helps businesses work together, helps the local economy, and helps the city reach its climate goals. It cuts down on using fuels and power from big power plants.
