Today, Ekopak (EKOP:xbru), an ESG driven company that markets off-grid water solutions, announced its collaboration with PMV and water-link to convert the treated waste water from Antwerp households into cooling water for companies in the Port of Antwerp by 2025. The collaboration is named Waterkracht (‘the power of water’) and is a significant milestone in the transition to a sustainable port.
Waterkracht: combining forces and expertise
To realise this pioneering project, the collaborators entered into a preliminary agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) to establish a joint venture. The joint venture is named Waterkracht and is a leading example of public-private partnership. Ekopak owns a 51% share in the established joint venture.
Waterkracht is in talks with the Port of Antwerp with regard to building the water purification installation for this project on a plot in the NextGen district. This plot is the former Opel site in the Port of Antwerp. Ekopak will build and operate the factory. With membrane technology, the treated waste water supplied will be upgraded here for further industrial applications.
From 2025 onwards, 20 billion litres of water will be recycled each year
This project will recover and filter the waste water from the entire City of Antwerp. This circular operation will recycle 20 billion litres of water each year. This is the equivalent of the water consumption of 400,000 families. The use of a circular, alternative water source reduces the pressure on freshwater resources. This in turn reduces the risk of shutting business operations due to a water shortage.
With the IPO, Ekopak raised capital to manage the circular water projects of the Belgian water policy in terms of sustainability and security of supply. ‘I’m delighted that we can implement this ground-breaking and forward-looking project for the Antwerp region. When fully developed and implemented, this project will also significantly expedite the growth of Ekopak’s WaaS division,’ said Pieter Loose, Ekopak CEO.
Once the MoU has been converted into final contracts, and the entire project has been developed and implemented, this joint venture, together with the WaaS contracts already signed and based on the companies that are already showing strong interest, will ensure that approximately 60% of the mid-term target (25 million euros) of Ekopak’s WaaS segment is met.
If all goes according to plan, this plant will be fully operational in 2025.
Pieter Loose, Ekopak CEO:
“Ekopak’s primary focus is the decentralised supply of water, but with this project we can also make a significant contribution to making the entire port sustainable. We are convinced that our expertise and know-how will help make this project a success.”
About Ekopak
Ekopak is an ESG driven company that markets circular water solutions. Ekopak’s solutions offer industrial customers the opportunity to significantly reduce their water consumption from the water mains network in a sustainable, dependable, and cost-effective manner. To this end, Ekopak focuses on optimising water consumption with container water treatment units that convert off-grid water sources, such as rainwater, surface water, and/or waste water into purer water that can be used and reused in the customer’s industrial processes.
All Ekopak shares are listed on Euronext Brussels (ticker EKOP).
For more information about Ekopak go to www.ekopaksustainablewater.com