SPAQUE, the Walloon public company responsible for the remediation and rehabilitation of polluted sites, and Enerdeal, a subsidiary of the EDP group and a European leader in solar projects for businesses, will install a ground-mounted solar power plant on a rehabilitated former landfill in La Louvière.
SPAQUE’s first photovoltaic plant, commissioned in 2016 on the rehabilitated SAFEA site in La Louvière, is being expanded and will significantly increase its capacity. Enerdeal, a renewable energy solutions provider active in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, and part of the EDP group since 2023 (a European leader in green energy production), won the public tender to build an 11 MWp solar plant on this site owned by SPAQUE.
This project transforms a former industrial landfill, now fully rehabilitated, into a green energy production hub, confirming SPAQUE’s pioneering role in energy recovery in containment areas where construction is otherwise impossible.
Founded in 1991 by the Walloon government, SPAQUE is responsible for the remediation and rehabilitation of polluted sites in Wallonia. By giving these lands a second life, notably through the installation of renewable energy infrastructure, SPAQUE contributes twice to the environmental transition: by enhancing degraded and rehabilitated sites, and by promoting local green energy production. This approach fully aligns with Wallonia’s and Belgium’s climate objectives.
A technical installation adapted to a unique site
In 2016, 3,844 panels were already installed on the SAFEA site. The new project includes the installation of more than 15,000 additional photovoltaic panels, bringing total capacity to 12 MWp, i.e., an increase of 11 MWp compared to the existing plant.
Enerdeal developed tailor-made mounting solutions to meet the specific characteristics of the former landfill, adjusting the orientation and structure of the solar panels to maximize the site’s potential and ensure optimal performance.
The plant will avoid around 1,800 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year and will contribute significantly to Wallonia’s renewable energy targets.
For Hervé Briet, Director of Operational Strategy at SPAQUE, “The expansion of this photovoltaic plant reaffirms SPAQUE’s essential role in the redevelopment of polluted sites in Wallonia, as well as its expertise in meeting the specific requirements of renewable energy production on former landfills or containment areas.”
“This project demonstrates Enerdeal’s expertise in delivering large-scale ground-mounted solar plants on highly constrained sites, and its ability to turn technical challenges into opportunities for the energy transition. Enerdeal will manage all phases of the project, from engineering and procurement to construction, commissioning, and grid connection,” adds Grégoire de Pierpont, CEO of Enerdeal.
This project perfectly illustrates the ability to transform a post-industrial site into a productive asset for the energy transition. By converting a former landfill into a renewable electricity generation facility, SPAQUE and Enerdeal show that environmental rehabilitation and clean energy production can go hand in hand, offering a replicable model for other sites in Wallonia and Belgium.
EDP has installed more than 3 GWp of industrial solar capacity worldwide and continues its expansion in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, with recognized expertise in transforming complex sites into sustainable energy production hubs.