Geothermal heating at Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Overview
Janssen Pharmaceutica, a member of the Johnson & Johnson family, moved a step forward in its sustainability strategy with its revolutionary geothermal project at the Beerse Campus in Belgium. Standing out as the first industrial entity in Belgium to utilize deep geothermal energy on this scale for its own energy requirements, the project significantly contribute to the energy transition in the Flanders.
The plans for this geothermal heating project were initially revealed in mid-2018, with drilling operations commencing by the end of 2019. This initiative aligns with Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. In October 2022, Janssen successfully generated its first heat using this deep geothermal system. With geothermal energy as a primary heat source, Janssen anticipates a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions from its Belgian operations.
Technical details
At the heart of the Beerse Campus geothermal project, hot water at 85°C is extracted from a groundwater layer located 2.4 kilometers beneath the Earth's surface. The heat from this water is transferred through a heat exchanger and distributed via a 3.5-kilometer heat network. This network supplies essential heat to buildings and production processes across the site. The cooled water is then reinjected into the same groundwater layer, where it is naturally reheated, creating a sustainable and inexhaustible energy cycle.
A collaborative effort
The project received financial backing from the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency, the Flemish Innovation and Enterprise Agency, and the European Union, including €1.5 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This support underscores the principle of shared management, where private enterprises, regional governments, and the EU join forces to drive sustainable initiatives.