Feasibility Study Update: "A collective energy ecosystem in Mechelen"

Steven Rosseel (Re-Vive) coordinates a feasibility study for Zorro, a sustainable neighborhood to be developed in Mechelen. The aim is to build a generic and reproducible business case for an ecological neighborhood with a microgrid: “Re-Vive is involved in 2 of the 14 feasibility studies that were deemed eligible for funding after Flux50’s first call.”

Flux50’s first feasibility study call yielded 19 proposals. They were evaluated by VLAIO, the Flemish Institute for Innovation, which deemed 14 of them eligible for funding. The Board of Directors of Flux50 approved VLAIO’s evaluation in its board meeting held on July 6. A sum of 661 kEuro has been reserved for the financial support of the consortia.

Re-Vive, a Ghent-based real estate development and investment company focused on sustainable neighborhoods, coordinates one of the approved feasibility studies. Re-Vive was founded in 2009 by its current CEO Nicholas Bearelle and Piet Colruyt. The company, with its team of 25 employees, develops projects in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia. In 2017, they started a major project in the Polish city Gdansk, where they’ll transform the historically important Imperial Shipyards into a lively neighborhood with different functionalities.

Steven Rosseel (Re-Vive):
“By transforming old industrial sites into sustainable neighborhoods, we relieve the pressure on existing urban, green spaces. The projects we develop aim to raise the comfort, yet lower the costs for their residents, while contributing to the climate targets and urban transition. Our projects are truly innovative and bring together sustainable energy, transport and waste management solutions.”

With the funding through Flux50, Rosseel will coordinate a feasibility study for Zorro: “Re-Vive will develop a sustainable neighborhood, called Zorro, on the old COMET-site in Mechelen. We aim to build a generic and reproducible business case for a new, ecological neighborhood with a microgrid. We want to maximize the energy-independency of Zorro and offer residents an ‘energy comfort service’.” Other partners in the Zorro-consortium are Eandis, Enervalis and Wattson. Rosseel: “The feasibility study should clarify which technological, financial, practical and legislative hurdles we need to overcome to realize a collective and chiefly electric energy ecosystem in the Zorro neighborhood. We want to start building in the third quarter of 2018, which means we need to apply for the necessary licenses in March.”