Zero Emission Mobility Campus
Accelerating the transition towards sustainable and smart mobility
Mobility is one of the main causes of CO2 emissions and other harmful emissions, such as particulates and nitrogen. This not only results in a significant impact on the environment and climate, but also causes a high number of premature deaths due to a variety of health problems.
The switch to sustainable mobility cannot happen without difficulty. Although electric vehicles for individuals and companies are slowly making an entrance on the mainstream market, the big breakthrough is yet to come. This is partly because the existing solutions are not known properly – think hydrogen fuel vehicles and other clean fuels – and but also partly because many zero-emission vehicles and associated technology has yet to be developed.
For this reason, Lommel will be home to a European, leading campus focused on green and smart mobility. A one-stop shop for ‘zero-emission mobility’. For example, developers of sustainable and smart vehicles or vehicle components will be given access to a research, testing, and development centre for thorough testing and development. Test drives and demonstrations are used to familiarise companies and individuals with clean and smart mobility. Finally, an incubator will be available for students, start-ups, and businesses as part of a low-threshold space for experimentation and collaboration.
Scaling up through collaboration
The Limburg city of Lommel has all the assets needed for an emission-free mobility breakthrough. It is no coincidence that this is where POM Limburg is in collaboration with four partners for the creation of a campus all about emission-free mobility. The partners are:
The participation of Lommel Proving Grounds has already resulted in 100 km of test track with test pilots, vehicle mechanics, and engineers. What’s more, it will expand it’s scope to also test and further develop the mobility of the future.
All this is done in collaboration with Flanders Make, the strategic research centre for the manufacturing industry. Flanders Make has extensive knowledge and experience related to electric, autonomous, and smart mobility. They offer infrastructure for product validation and optimisation, as well as co-creation pathways for SMEs and large organisations. Their aim is to realise technological development for the vehicles, machines, and factories of the future.
Vehicle manufacturer E-Trucks Europe has also joined the project. The Lommel-based company has been producing hydrogen-electric vehicles since 2010, and has built up considerable expertise in this area.
Renewable energy is part of the DNA that makes up the city of Lommel. Just think of the Kristal Solar Park, the largest solar park in the Benelux, and the wind farms. The Kristalpark business park in Lommel measures 900 hectares and has specifically designated 13 hectares as an ecological business zone.
One-stop shop for emission-free mobility
The project consortium will pursue the following objectives:
- Anchoring research into and development of green and smart mobility in Lommel and the wider region.
- Facilitating collaboration between companies, knowledge institutions, test infrastructure, and government. The above applies to the areas of Northern Limburg and Noord-Brabant.
- Future-proofing existing infrastructure and operations and give them a new dynamism through joint branding.
- Attracting and developing new and innovative (R&D) activity throughout the entire value chain of green and smart mobility.
