Press release
25 April 2007
Schiphol Airport to launch the world’s first
environmentally-friendly system to capture
kerosene vapours
Gouda, the Netherlands - Imtech (technical service provider in Europe) has been
contracted to realise a solution that converts harmful kerosene emissions, which are
currently being released into the atmosphere, into electricity. The technology not only
benefits the environment but also generates electricity and heat. The first specific
project will be implemented at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. If it proves successful,
Imtech will promote this innovation worldwide.
At the request of Aircraft Fuel Supply (AFC) B.V., the company that supplies kerosene for all
aircraft at Schiphol Airport, a joint venture of Imtech, IPCO Power and BioSoil will develop
the world’s first system to capture and process kerosene vapours and kerosene residues at
Schiphol Airport. Imtech will be the main contractor in the joint venture.
The system will be used to capture and process kerosene vapours that are released when
fuel supply trucks are being loaded. During the process, reusable electricity and thermal heat
will be generated for company use. The system, which was developed by IPCO Power, is
called the Vapour Processing System.
At Schiphol Airport, the uploading of kerosene in supply trucks is a continuous process
during which an estimated 1,000,000 m3 of kerosene vapour is released into the atmosphere
every year. This is a situation that AFS wants to bring to an end in order to create a cleaner
environment at and near the airport as well as in the built-up areas in the immediate
surroundings. In addition, the approximately 250 tons of kerosene residue left in the tanks
every year will also be processed in this environmentally-friendly way.
The electricity generated in this way will by be used by AFS itself, while the surplus will be
sold on to third parties at Schiphol Airport or to the national grid. The same applies to the
heat that is released, which will be used to heat buildings and garages.
The electricity and heat generated with this innovative system will produce sufficient savings
to recover the total investment in around seven years.
The emission of kerosene vapours is a problem that occurs at virtually all airports. Capturing
the vapours and converting them into electricity, which can in turn be used for lighting or
cooling, produces major potential savings. It also provides airports with a one-stop solution to
a serious environmental problem.
With this project, Imtech, BioSoil and IPCO Power hope to create a worldwide spin-off to
large international airports in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the USA in the short term,
with Imtech playing a leading role.
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Further information
Imtech N.V.
Mark Salomons
Company Secretary
Telephone: +31 182 54 35 14
E-mail: [email protected]
www.imtech.eu
Imtech Profile
Imtech N.V. is a European technical services provider in the fields of electrical engineering,
ICT (information and communication technology) and mechanical engineering. With
approximately 16,000 employees, Imtech realises annual revenue of almost €3 billion.
Imtech holds strong positions in the buildings, industry, infrastructure and telecom markets in
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Eastern Europe, Spain and the UK and in
the global maritime market. Imtech provides services to a total of 12,000 clients. Imtech
offers added value in the form of integrated and multidisciplinary total solutions that lead to
improved operating processes and higher yields for clients and their clients in return. Imtech
also provides solutions that contribute to a sustainable, liveable society, for example in the
field of energy, mobility, safety and the environment. Imtech shares are listed on the
Euronext Stock Exchange (Amsterdam), where Imtech is included in the Amsterdam
SmallCap Index (AScX) and the Next 150 index.
Profile BioSoil
BioSoil’s main activity is soil decontamination, for which the company prefers to use
sustainable technologies based on the organic breakdown of pollutant compounds. Through
its ten or so subsidiaries, BioSoil is also working on a better environment in other ways. For
this project, BioSoil provided the basic idea for using kerosene vapours to power generators
and contributes to project management.
For more information:
www.biosoil.com
Profile IPCO Power
IPCO Power has been a producer of vapour processing systems in the petrochemical
industry for over ten years. This application is now being used worldwide to generate
electricity and heat in an environmentally-friendly way. IPCO Power not only contributes
know-how to this project, but also the Vapour Processing System. This system captures the
kerosene vapours released when fuel supply trucks are being loaded and processes those
vapours into a fuel for combined heat and power systems.
For more information:
www.ipcopower.com
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