Warmte Verzilverd
Warmte Verzilverd is a leading cooperative initiative born out of collaboration between energy cooperatives Ecopower and ZuidtrAnt-W, complemented by technical expertise from Kelvin Solutions. This innovative project focuses on developing and operating a district heating network that recovers industrial waste heat from the Agfa-Gevaert factory in Mortsel. Since its first heat delivery in January 2021, the network has been providing sustainable heat to over 160 private residences and several tertiary buildings. With a strong vision for growth and sustainability, Warmte Verzilverd has ambitious expansion plans for the future.
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The path to efficiency and growth
Founded in 2020, Warmte Verzilverd initially handled billing and customer management internally. However, Ecopower's existing systems, originally designed for electricity customers, proved too rigid for managing heat deliveries effectively. Developing a custom system would have been costly and complex given Warmte Verzilverd's scale. Therefore, they sought an existing solution to efficiently manage these administrative processes.
After thorough research, they found Zero Friction. What attracted Warmte Verzilverd to Zero Friction were its comprehensive functionalities, including an integrated customer portal, efficient billing processes tailored for the heat market, and reliable customer service. Lenn Coussement, Project Coordinator at Warmte Verzilverd, explains:
“Thanks to Zero Friction, customer inquiries are directed straight to the right person, ensuring smooth and efficient handling.”
Implementation and benefits
Through collaboration with Zero Friction, Warmte Verzilverd outsourced complete billing and customer management responsibilities. This transition not only resulted in significant time savings but also improved customer service. Lenn Coussement adds:
“Previously, billing and customer management took several days each month. Thanks to Zero Friction, that time investment has been completely eliminated. The customer portal and additional features enable us to provide our customers with more and better service than we could have achieved on our own. This partnership allows us to focus entirely on developing new projects and our growth plans.”
Future outlook
Warmte Verzilverd has ambitious plans for the future, aiming to expand to 420 private connections and potentially 200 additional connections by 2026. Their goal is to become Belgium's first heat supplier offering voluntary connections to existing private residences through their district heating network.
We're excited about the developments at Warmte Verzilverd and fully committed to helping them achieve their sustainable goals!