Greening CSG
The Guiana Space Centre (CSG) is a leading example of the success of sectorial collaboration on achieving more sustainable access to space. In 2019, ESA, CNES and their industrial partners announced an impressive roadmap to reduce the GHG emissions and environmental impact of Europe’s Spaceport, the objective being 90% of the energy consumed by CSG to be renewable by end-2025.
The transition plan consists of the introduction of two solar fields (up to 5 MW peak each), delivering the first electron by the start of 2023, followed by two biomass units the same year. The intention is to use the waste heat to cool the buildings, corresponding to 60% of the electricity consumption at CSG. This mix will save about 45 000 tonnes CO2 equivalent per year, develop activity for the territory, and take pressure off an aging national grid, thus freeing extra power for local citizens. CSG will thus become an asset to citizens and the climate.
This good news will continue for some time, ESA and CNES are working hard to green their industrial processes via reduction of energy consumption, energy efficiency, and the modernisation of fossil industrial processes. One such is the production of hydrogen for launchers using electrolysis instead of methanol cracking, which avoids up to 10 000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.
The change is on track and the next chapter of the story is being written. ESA is proud of the greening team at Europe’s Spaceport proposing and leading projects serving launcher competitiveness as well as French Guiana and its citizens, and at the same time protecting what is home to all of us: Earth.