---
title: "City of Ghent pilots all-electric Mariakerke neighbourhood, Belgium; first-of-its-kind EU-backed grid pilot"
sdDatePublished: "2026-04-29T21:58:00Z"
source: "https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/sites/default/files/2026-04/COPPER%20Case%20Study%20-%20Ghent.pdf"
topics:
  - name: "environmental policy"
    identifier: "medtop:20000423"
  - name: "renewable energy"
    identifier: "medtop:20000257"
  - name: "electricity"
    identifier: "medtop:20000260"
  - name: "infrastructure projects"
    identifier: "medtop:20001245"
  - name: "local authority"
    identifier: "medtop:20000612"
locations:
  - "Flanders"
---


City of Ghent pilots all-electric Mariakerke neighbourhood, Belgium; first-of-its-kind EU-backed grid pilot

COPPER Case Study - Antwerp

Case Study
How the City of Ghent is
piloting energy planning
for one of Europe's first all-
electric neighbourhoods
With
funding
from
the
European Union through the
COPPER initiative, the City of
Ghent is partnering with
DSO Fluvius to pilot state-
of-the-art energy planning
and flexibility incentives for
one of Europe’s first ‘all-
electric neighbourhoods’ in
Mariakerke.

CHALLENGE
Ghent aims to be a leader in
Europe for the green transition. As
well as doubling the number of
PVs by 2050 and rolling out a
sustainable
district
heating
network, Ghent aims to reduce
household energy consumption by
30% by 2030 and achieve climate
neutrality by 2050.
To lay the foundations for neutrality,
Ghent is piloting an ‘all-electric’
residential area in the municipality of
Mariakerke. To make the shift to
carbon-neutral heating and electric
vehicles possible, Ghent must invest in
a resilient electricity grid, ensuring
that
the
needs
of
ambitious
electrification plans can be met.

Working closely with local DSO
Fluvius, Ghent will pilot Mariakerke
as an all-electric neighbourhood.
Testing the and researching the
infrastructure, stakeholders and
investment required to realise an
all-electric neighbourhood.
Alongside this rollout, the city will
work with the University of Ghent
to run optimisation studies to
determine the best possible energy
management
strategy
to
be
replicated across Gent.
APPROACH
20 MW
5,962
10%
Current household
consumption in
Mariakerke
Households in the
all-electric zone
Estimated solar panel
penetration

OBJECTIVES
Together with the University of Ghent, the DSO
Fluvius and the inhabitants of Mariakerke Ghent
will research the different flexibility options for a
futureproof stable electric grid.
Local DSO Fluvius are partnering on this project,
helping both city and DSO to determine how local
energy action planning responsibilities will be
shared
between
different
local
energy
stakeholders
While monitoring the electric consumption of the
inhabitants of Mariakerke, combined with the
simulations of the University Ghent, Ghent will
create a local energy action plan to inform their
future coordination of all-electric residential areas.
Develop a future-proof energy
management strategy
Model a successful DSO-city
alliance
Create a Local Energy Action
Plan for an all-electric
neighbourhood
“Creating an all-electric future is a massive objective. It’s essential
we prepare the different stakeholders for this transition. By
planning en researching this future for one neighborhood, Ghent,
Fluvius, it’s inhabitants and the electric grid will be ready to take
on this task.”
Project Lead for COPPER, City of Ghent
Bram Roelant
Learn more by contacting contact@coppercities.eu