Flanders Waterways plc manages 1,076 km of waterways that may be suitable for extracting heat for building heating (Aquathermie). The ecology and other uses of waterways are taken into account in licensing, but there are still some knowledge gaps, such as the lack of a full-fledged thermal balance, including discharged (industrial) waste heat.

Innovative solutions are being sought to match supply and demand in a sustainable way. These include the use of smart meters and digital data platforms to map thermal flows and the development of concrete design guidelines for collective installations.

The combination of these 2 solutions will help make the right choices for the further long-term roll-out of aquathermy. This project is in collaboration with Port of Antwerp-Brugges.