Ghent has secured funding for a European project aimed at enhancing climate policy using satellite imagery. The East Flemish capital hopes to identify locations where there is still space for solar panels, green roofs or heat pumps. The project also detects heat islands and clusters of air pollution. Ghent will cooperate with a set of European partners, Amsterdam, Athens and Bordeaux. The cities submitted a grant application at the start of this year. Collectively they will now receive over 7 million euros in funding.
Ghent lands European cash for satellite imagery project to support climate policy
Colin Clapson
Published:
The project is called Orbit2ZERO. In addition to the cities mentioned, Ghent will also work with a consortium of companies. The project collects data based on satellite imagery. This enables cities to implement more targeted climate policies.
Artificial intelligence analyses the data. Ghent hopes this will help it identify unused rooftops suitable for solar panels more quickly. The city also wants to identify locations where green roofs or heat pumps could be installed. With €300,000 in funding, Ghent can recruit someone to oversee the project for three years.
“An opportunity for businesses and start-ups too”
Using the new technology the city of Ghent also wants to identify problem areas. Satellite images can show where high levels of air pollution are accumulating. At the same time, the city can gain a better understanding of areas where the heat island effect occurs. Due to urban paving, a lack of greenery, and the growing number of heat pumps, temperatures in some parts of the city are rising significantly.
“We can see more clearly where opportunities lie and where problems are arising. We can base our climate and energy policy on up-to-date data. This also opens up opportunities for innovation for businesses and start-ups that can help develop solutions,” Alderman Filip Watteeuw explains.