WDP puts first solar power installation into service

Closed-end real estate investment fund WDP has put its first solar power installation into service with the help of energy supplier Nuon Belgium. The building at the WDP site in Grimbergen has over 3,000 solar panels on its roof and can generate 570 kWp (kilowatt peak).

The station is part of the solar energy project WDP launched at the end of 2007. WDP said it is the largest 'sustainable warehouses' project in the semi-industrial real estate sector. WDP wants to install a capacity of 10 MWp of green electricity by equipping its buildings with solar panels by the end of 2009. The total investment value of the project is EUR 45 mln.

WDP signed an agreement and a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) with electricity supplier Nuon through which the surplus electricity will be purchased by Nuon.

Wim Damme, Business Director Nuon Belgium said, 'Thanks to this know-how we can offer our business customers a wide range of services in the realisation of their solar energy projects. That can be limited to the identification of the best solar panel supplier but Nuon is also able to look after the complete installation management for WDP afterwards. With this we ‘take care of the cares' for our customer.'

Following the successful completion of the first phase, WDP announced that it will now accelerate the launch the second phase. This phase will see WDP equip other existing properties in its portfolio with a solar energy installation for a total additional capacity of 2 MWp by the end of 2008. This will bring the total capacity of the installations after completion of the second phase to 6.5 MWp. The expected electricity yield is the equivalent of the yearly consumption of approximately 1,820 households and an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 1,750 tons.

The other construction sites for the project include Genk, Willebroek and Boom.