{"id":7501,"date":"2021-03-24T13:04:56","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T11:04:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/2021\/03\/24\/bedrijven-gericht-op-ecologie\/"},"modified":"2021-04-13T10:38:37","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T08:38:37","slug":"the-companies-turning-towards-ecology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/the-companies-turning-towards-ecology\/","title":{"rendered":"The companies turning towards ecology"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>We set out to meet the men and women from around the Metropolitan Area whose companies are innovating and offering services to make our beautiful planet greener.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Vertical wind turbines to produce green and local energy<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fairwind.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fairwind<\/a>,with its head office in Seneffe and workshops in Fleurus, makes vertical wind turbines, which bring to mind huge weather-vanes. The 3 blades, parallel with the mast, rotate around the base, whichever way the wind is blowing. These turbines are initially aimed at agricultural holdings and SMEs.<\/p>\n<p>The largest model produces green energy that can satisfy the consumption of about thirty families (110 MWh per year). The mast, which stretches up 20 to 30 metres in height, is considerably smaller than traditional wind turbines which are about a hundred metres tall.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the wind turbines are 100% recyclable. Made of aluminium, they have a life span of 20 to 25 years.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7293\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7293\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7293 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-eolienne-energie-durable-1600x1067.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-eolienne-energie-durable-1600x1067.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-eolienne-energie-durable-600x400.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-eolienne-energie-durable-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-eolienne-energie-durable.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7293\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The wind turbines are only 20 to 30 metres tall, unlike traditional wind turbines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/5-questions-for-understanding-zero-waste\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/le-colibri-34-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"5 questions for understanding \u2018zero waste\u2019\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">5 questions for understanding \u2018zero waste\u2019<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>Fertiliser turned public biogas<\/h2>\n<p>Cinergie is a biomethanisation station based in Fleurus which injects green gas into the public grid: a first for the Walloon grid! Each year, this agri-industrial company processes over 100,000 tonnes of organic waste from livestock farming, arable farming and the agri-food sector.<\/p>\n<p>Organic matter produces natural gas which performs just as well as traditional gas. The energy potential could supply the equivalent in consumption of two towns the size of Couvin.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7217\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7217\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-entreprise-start-up-verte-durable-ecolo-inspiration-1600x888.png\" alt=\"Vue d un moteur\" width=\"1600\" height=\"888\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7217\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gas, produced from organic waste, is injected back into the public grid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Natural auxiliaries to fight against aphid attacks in agriculture<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.viridaxis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Viridaxis<\/a>, located in Gosselies, produces aphid parasitoids, in a bid to tackle pests in a natural way. This company allows farmers to study the problematic insects that attack their crops and to offset them by introducing their enemies, in a reliable and balanced manner.<\/p>\n<p>The company, founded in 2004, employs 45 people. Renowned internationally, it holds an exclusive patent for its biological control method.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7295\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7295\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7295 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-culture-insecte-attaque-1600x1060.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-culture-insecte-attaque-1600x1060.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-culture-insecte-attaque-600x398.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-culture-insecte-attaque-768x509.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-culture-insecte-attaque.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7295\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Micro insects balance out the aphid attacks in a biological way.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/heating-and-lighting-with-lethal-gas\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/5q1a0528-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Heating and lighting with lethal gas\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">Heating and lighting with lethal gas<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>Compostable tableware in 30 days<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kommpo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kommpo<\/a>, based in Charleroi, produces 100% natural and biodegradable tableware. Once it has been used, the tableware takes 30 days to break down. It is made of water, durum wheat and rice starch, made from sustainable agriculture and is coloured with natural pigments based on spinach or cumin, for example.<\/p>\n<p>The company produces a whole tableware range, from glasses to dessert plates which can withstand hot and cold temperatures.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7296\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7296\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7296 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-composte-legumes-vaiselle-1600x1065.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-composte-legumes-vaiselle-1600x1065.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-composte-legumes-vaiselle-600x399.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-composte-legumes-vaiselle-768x511.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-composte-legumes-vaiselle.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7296\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The tableware, resistant to heat and cold alike, breaks down after 30 days.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Biodigesters dealing with organic waste from institutions and the hospitality sector<\/h2>\n<p>The company\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.waste-end.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Waste-end<\/a>,\u00a0launched by Lola and Nathan, two young Charleroi-based entrepreneurs, with the help of\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/studentlab.charleroi-entreprendre.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Student Lab.<\/a> will be unveiling in the next few months a biodigester: a device which helps to process organic waste. Currently in use as a prototype in a retirement home, the device processes food waste (vegetable peelings, meal leftovers, etc.) into gas or fertiliser.<\/p>\n<p>A machine measuring 4 cubic metres can process 10 kilos of waste a day (a community with about a hundred residents may generate up to 50 kilos a day).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is very simple to use: the waste goes into the machine. The biodigester processes it by itself thanks to bacteria and a number of sensors. We are currently in discussions with several different partners about separating out and collecting the fertiliser if the client doesn\u2019t have a use for it. We would also like to pool the service for the smallest entities,\u201d explains Waste-end\u2019s co-founder.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7214\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7214\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7214 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-dechet-vert-organique-biodegrable-digesteur-particulier-horeca-collectivite\u0301-e1616516753765-1600x1068.jpg\" alt=\"Contenant pour compost\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-dechet-vert-organique-biodegrable-digesteur-particulier-horeca-collectivite\u0301-e1616516753765-1600x1068.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-dechet-vert-organique-biodegrable-digesteur-particulier-horeca-collectivite\u0301-e1616516753765-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-dechet-vert-organique-biodegrable-digesteur-particulier-horeca-collectivite\u0301-e1616516753765-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-dechet-vert-organique-biodegrable-digesteur-particulier-horeca-collectivite\u0301-e1616516753765.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7214\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The start-up supplies a biodigester which allows residences to process their own organic waste on-site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/go-bargain-hunting-for-unique-pieces-in-these-second-hand-shops\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/charleroi-metropole-vetements-seconde-main-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Go bargain hunting for unique pieces in these second-hand shops\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">Go bargain hunting for unique pieces in these second-hand shops<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>Eco-responsible clothing<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sosolandsea.com\/?fbclid=IwAR3xCdxjW_9U2yBdVXBKDYUeC3GS1bB2GNG6li2wovr94_aVYf6uX_JaPpY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sosol and Sea<\/a>, based in Castillon (Walcourt), offers one-size-fits-all clothing and jewellery. All of their products are made ethically and responsibly. Heading up the company is Solange, who is surrounded by a team of people making products which match these values.<\/p>\n<p>The brand has just launched a <a href=\"https:\/\/fr.ulule.com\/sosol-and-sea\/coming-soon\/?fbclid=IwAR0JONVHWisdH6nFySwzzx98PAhDicEIHj1kNjGdNHZNJf7dakXA6qShYsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crowdfunding<\/a> initiative on the platform Ulule.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7297\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7297\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7297 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-habits-recyclable-1600x1200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-habits-recyclable-1600x1200.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-habits-recyclable-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-habits-recyclable-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/charleroi-metropole-habits-recyclable.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7297\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The creative duo work according to the same ethical and ecological values<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Optebe\/?ref=page_internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opte<\/a> is a brand-new line of eco-responsible clothing based in Philippeville. Aliz\u00e9e and Antoine work in partnership with an adapted workstation. They source all of their fabrics from big brand offcuts. Other partnerships have been taking shape along the way such as the making of woollen jumpers, produced entirely locally. The first items should be available as of Spring 2021.<\/p>\n<h2>And many more\u2026<\/h2>\n<p>This list is far from exhaustive; we could also mention <a href=\"https:\/\/retrival.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0Retrival<\/a>,\u00a0which promotes recycling, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/fr\/2019\/01\/19\/farciennes-ecoterres\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ecoterre<\/a>, which reduces soil pollution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We set out to meet the men and women from around the Metropolitan Area whose companies are innovating and offering services to make our beautiful planet greener. Vertical wind turbines to produce green and local energy Fairwind,with its head office in Seneffe and workshops in Fleurus, makes vertical wind turbines, which bring to mind huge [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7213,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[408,172],"tags":[128,154,370,161,53,122,127,59],"class_list":["post-7501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecology","category-economic-dynamism","tag-ecology","tag-energy","tag-environment","tag-organic","tag-sciences","tag-start-up","tag-sustainable","tag-unique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7501"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7501"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7502,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7501\/revisions\/7502"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}