Mail processing and delivery is an energy-intensive business.
That’s why rolling out further improvements to make logistics processes more sustainable is so important to bpost. The installation of 1100 solar panels at two bpost sites in Brussels by green-energy solutions specialist Earth is one way bpost is working towards its ambition to slash carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. Earth will install another 600 or so panels at the international mail centre in Zaventem (Brucargo) later this year.
bpost has clear sustainability ambitions, which it is working very hard to realise. Initiatives include everything from environmentally friendly packaging and emission-free last-mile deliveries to a carbon-neutral head office, a constantly growing green fleet and ever more renewable energy. In the last case, the potential of the roofs of bpost premises cannot be overestimated.
Production of renewable energy has now been stepped up in partnership with Earth. More than 500 solar panels were installed at the sorting centre in Neder-Over-Heembeek in November 2023. Ninety percent of the solar energy they produce is consumed on site, which has led to a 39-tonne reduction in annual carbon emissions. The solar panels meet 26% of the sorting centre’s annual electricity demand.
A total of 496 solar panels were installed at the new distribution centre in Evere, which opened for business early this year. The solar panels meet 28% of the annual electricity demand, which represents a hefty saving. From the start, the ambition has been to make this site as climate-neutral as possible through the installation of solar panels and other initiatives.
A further 618 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the bpost site in Zaventem (Brucargo) in the course of 2024. The international mail is processed at this site. Sixty-seven percent of the solar energy produced by these solar panels will be consumed on site, which is equivalent to 36% of its annual electricity demand. This will lead to a hefty 100-tonne reduction in annual carbon emissions.
Luc Demeyere (CEO Earth): “We are evolving towards a society in which energy is generated from various sources. This demands adjustments from every consumer and business. bpost has a clear long-term sustainability vision, which we can only applaud. Given our many years’ experience with sustainable energy, we were quickly able to reach an understanding to help support that ambition. We are very proud that a company like bpost chose Earth to realise their ambition.”
Jos Donvil, CEO bpost: “At bpost we constantly strive to make our logistics processes more sustainable. Renewable energy is a must, especially given our ambition to slash our carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. Solar energy is a very important part of the mix, given the ever-increasing number of electric vehicles in our fleet. The solar panels also meet some of the energy demand of our sites. Earth is a reliable partner that helps us achieve our targets.”
As a postal company and a major logistics services provider, bpost has an environmental impact throughout the mail delivery and e-commerce value chain. The company is steadfast in its commitment to fight climate change, with constant investments in sustainability, including the electrification of its fleet, the rollout of ecozones, sustainable buildings and more – initiatives that enable bpost to reduce the carbon footprint of its activities. bpost aims to set the benchmark for sustainability in the industry.
Source: bpostgroup