Wastewater from Ghent, Genk & Dendermonde Powers Homes with Green Electricity

Ghent – A new wave of green electricity production is underway as wastewater from residents of Ghent, Genk, and Dendermonde is being converted into renewable energy. Aquafin’s latest biomethane installations at its water purification sites mark a major step forward in sustainable energy.

The new facilities utilize wastewater sludge to produce biogas, which is refined into biomethane before being injected into the Fluvius natural gas distribution network. This upgraded system enables homes to use renewable biogas for cooking and heating, moving beyond the previous limitations of on-site electricity generation.

With these advancements, Aquafin is now able to supply renewable gas from its four upgraded facilities to about 2,650 households annually. The transformation includes a biological purification process where microorganisms remove pollutants from wastewater, creating sludge that is then fermented to produce biogas.

Since raw biogas has lower methane content and higher CO₂ levels, Aquafin uses a biogas upgrading system to increase methane concentration, making it suitable for distribution via Fluvius infrastructure. The result is a more efficient energy source that extends beyond localized generation.

In Ghent alone, the upgraded biomethane installations now sustainably power around 800 households each year. The move from solely on-site power production to network distribution significantly reduces energy losses and ensures maximum utilization of biogas potential.

What is the current state of biomethane production from wastewater in Belgium?

Biomethane production continues to grow in Belgium as part of the country’s broader commitment to renewable energy. According to the European Biogas Association, Belgium produced approximately 0.5 TWh of biomethane in 2022. Aquafin, which oversees wastewater treatment in Flanders, operates 330 facilities, including 12 with sludge digestion systems to generate biogas.

Initially, these sites produced electricity through combined heat and power (CHP) units, achieving energy efficiency levels between 40% and 50%. However, with the integration of biomethane into Fluvius’ gas network, energy utilization has increased to about 90%.

The four key installations—located in Ghent, Genk, Dendermonde, and Antwerp—collectively serve 2,650 homes, with Ghent alone supporting 800. Fluvius reports that biomethane currently powers around 10,000 households across its network, with a goal of expanding this number in alignment with the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which mandates that gas networks include 45% renewable energy by 2030.

Belgium’s wastewater sector treats roughly 1.3 billion cubic meters annually, possessing the potential to produce up to 100 million cubic meters of biogas—enough to provide energy to 50,000 homes. Increasing this output forms a core objective of the 2023 Green Gas Action Plan, aiming for 4 TWh of biomethane generation by 2030 through expanded wastewater-to-gas systems.