Genk launches Belgium's first city-wide energy community

Genk, a city in Belgium's Limburg province, is pioneering a city-wide energy community, enabling residents, schools, associations, and businesses to directly share sustainably generated electricity.

The initiative, set to be operational by autumn through a cooperative company, allows individuals with solar panels to sell their excess energy to fellow citizens or local businesses needing power at that moment. This system offers a dual financial benefit: sellers receive a higher price than standard feed-in tariffs, and buyers purchase electricity below the regular market rate. Even those without their own renewable energy sources can join to access affordable local power.

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The big advantage of this system is that you are not tied to the same energy supplier as the one from whom you want to buy or sell electricity.

"The big advantage of this system is that you are not tied to the same energy supplier as the one from whom you want to buy or sell electricity," explained Karel Kriekemans, alderman for Sustainability. The cooperative, established by EnergySwap, will allow Genk residents to become members for free, giving them a say in the community's operations, including setting tariffs.

Beyond the financial incentives, the city aims to reduce CO2 emissions and lessen dependence on foreign energy markets. The project also explores ways for financially struggling residents to benefit. While the system will launch with a digital platform and simulator soon, a large-scale campaign in spring 2027 will encourage broader participation. Genk will provide financial and logistical support for three years, after which the network is expected to operate independently. Mayor Wim Dries called it a significant signal, transforming the energy transition into a story of local cooperation as well as climate action.

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We make of the energy transition not only a climate story, but also a story of local cooperation.