Home Low Carbon Industrial Areas (ZIBaC): let’s accelerate industrial decarbonisation

Low Carbon Industrial Areas (ZIBaC): let’s accelerate industrial decarbonisation

Already recognised as being exemplary in its efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions – with the aim of achieving a 30% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050 – Dunkirk has won the first ever ‘Low Carbon Industrial Areas’ (ZIBaC) call for projects. Commissioned by the Ministry of Industry through the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), the ZIBaC scheme will help ÉcosystèmeD, a public interest group and its partners, to conduct engineering and feasibility studies relating to the reduction of carbon emissions, with a budget of 27.2 million euros, of which ADEME will provide up to 50% as a subsidy, or 13.6 million euros.

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Conducted in close collaboration of the Greater Dunkirk Urban Council (CUD), the Grand Port Maritime of Dunkirk, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hauts-de-France Region and government departments, the project, entitled ‘DKarbonation ’, is led by ÉcosystèmeD, which is also developing the strategic vision of this decarbonisation for the region and bringing together manufacturers and energy companies.

The challenge:

To make Dunkirk a regional, national and even international showcase for decarbonisation, through the proactive efforts of its manufacturers, local authorities and other partners;
Moving from being the largest emitter of CO₂ to being the largest emitter of low carbon solutions.

At the announcement of the winners of the project, Roland Lescure, Deputy Minister for Industry, referred to Dunkirk as a “pioneering” region, saying:

“In the future, the region’s appeal will be measured by infrastructures essential for the low-carbon industry: electricity, green hydrogen and CO₂ capture. I’m sure that the creation of low-carbon industrial areas across all of France’s large industrial basins will help us make it one of the most attractive countries in the world for green industries.”

Patrice Vergriete, Chair of the Greater Dunkirk Urban Council

“Dunkirk, a pioneer in the decarbonisation of French industry, has made the ecological transition a major lever for the green reindustrialisation of its industrial area. As part of the French government’s France 2030 investment plan, this ZIBaC funding will enable us to continue accelerating our drive for industrial competitiveness by making mass investment in the technologies of the future and supporting the ecological transition to improve production and meet environmental challenges. Alongside our European partners, France’s ambitious objective to combat global warming is one of the priorities when it comes to meeting the carbon neutrality goals on the European continent by 2050”.

Dunkirk’s port and industrial area represents 20% of France’s industrial CO₂ emissions. However, “there will be no decarbonisation without infrastructure. And the 2030 target is only credible if projects are launched now,” says Rafael Ponce, Managing Director of ÉcosystèmeD.

Electrification

The industrial basin needs to produce more electricity to decarbonise. These needs are estimated at an additional 3,500 megawatts by 2030 and 4,500 megawatts by 2040 (according to RTE). The offshore wind farm planned for 2027, the two new EPR2s planned for Gravelines by 2040 and the photovoltaic field will provide an energy mix that meets national guidelines.

Water

New sites, the deployment of new industrial processes and the production of hydrogen will become synonymous with additional water requirements. Therefore, it is essential to control water consumption and diversify so-called non-conventional water resources. A project is currently underway, involving several studies to optimise water management, analyse requirements for hydrogen production, recover non-conventional water sources and examine the feasibility of creating a seawater network.

Low-carbon hydrogen

Dunkirk has a long history in the use of hydrogen. H2V is carrying out a project to produce renewable hydrogen in the area of the Grand Port Maritime of Dunkirk. From 2027, the goal is to produce 28,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year through the electrolysis of water, avoiding 280,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions a year. In addition, following an opportunity study launched in September 2022 by GRTgaz, eleven companies expressed an interest in a hydrogen transport infrastructure in the industrial port area (5 for hydrogen production and 6 for consumption).

La station d'interconnexion de Pitgam. GRT GAZ

CO2 Hub

By activating numerous resources (energy efficiency, sobriety, the circular economy, fossil energy replacements), we will be able to reduce 60-75% of carbon emissions while the remainder will be avoided thanks to techniques for the capture, transport and storage. Dunkirk’s CO₂ Hub is an infrastructure project bringing together part of the post-capture CO₂ value chain (transport, liquefaction, intermediate storage) through to loading by ship or reuse (CCU).

Biomethane

There are several methanisation units in the region already. Thanks to ZIBaC in particular, Dunkirk will be able to develop new infrastructures to produce “green gas” from organic waste.

Waste heat

The Grand Port Maritime of Dunkirk is working with ÉcosystèmeD on a heat superhighway project. This 20 kilometre-pipeline would become the largest network in France. By 2027, it will transport waste heat emitted by industrialists such as Befesa, Comilog and Ferroglobe and redistribute it among others such as Verkor, thereby avoiding the consumption of energy and emission of CO₂.

Low Carbon Industrial Areas (ZIBaC): let’s accelerate industrial decarbonisation