info@heliosfoundation.be
Tel. (+32) (0)471 25 36 88
info@heliosfoundation.be
Tel. (+32) (0)471 25 36 88
Belgium needs to bring about a transformation towards a low-carbon economy and a fair ecological transition. This transition demands far-reaching changes in the way we produce, consume, and operate. Through this call, the Helios Foundation sought ambitious, realistic, and impactful initiatives that target systemic changes and offer concrete solutions to reduce carbon emissions in Belgium. The ten selected projects represent exactly this ambition.
What emerges from this selection is the breadth of approaches now being put into practice: from electrifying high-temperature industrial heat to redesigning how we renovate homes, from rethinking cement production to redirecting social energy policy. Together, these projects demonstrate that decarbonisation requires coordinated action across sectors. More information about the call and selection criteria is available on the King Baudouin Foundation website.
Belgium’s energy-intensive sectors emit approximately 37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent every year, driven largely by high-temperature process heat. Commercially mature Power-to-Heat (P2H) solutions for these conditions simply do not exist yet. PIONEER aims to change that by validating a shockwave-driven turboreactor at BASF Antwerp and ArcelorMittal Ghent, displacing natural gas with renewable electricity. The potential: Scope 1 emission cuts of over 90%.
What if building materials could store CO₂ permanently instead of releasing it? BE-CAUSE develops construction products through mineral carbonation, fully replacing Portland cement. The project tackles five challenges critical for large-scale deployment: CO₂ capture, use of mineral residues, process optimisation, new product development, and certification. The target: 533,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent avoided annually within ten years.
Biochar offers a double opportunity. By securing offtake of biochar waste, waste operators can switch to pyrolysis and save significant Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions. By ensuring supply, hard-to-abate industries can substitute fossil sources with a local, carbon-negative compound. Aquafin and its consortium partners are building full-scale pilots on both sides of this equation, validating the feasibility, viability, and sustainability of these cross-industry value chains.
Tandem solar modules combining perovskite and silicon represent a leap forward: efficiency jumping from around 20% to over 30%, high customisability, and circularity built in. NOAK-PV will validate pilot-line production of these next-generation panels, with innovations in both perovskites and interconnection architecture. The goal is proof of techno-economic performance and readiness for multi-gigawatt scaling in Belgium and globally.
F5D accelerates the decarbonisation of existing neighbourhoods through collective, low-carbon district heating at 40–70°C. By consolidating five projects into a first implementation pipeline, the initiative maximises economies of scale and reduces risks. A unique coalition drives breakthroughs in integration, financing, and organisation. Expected impact: 202,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent cut, with a model designed for scalability and replication across Belgium.
Some 500,000 Belgian households depend on social energy tariffs. BECOME proposes redirecting those subsidies into solar panels, sharing the generated energy with low-income consumers by 2040. The project develops economic models, a digital platform for distributing social tariffs, and legal reforms to protect beneficiaries. The result: accelerated decarbonisation and stronger energy support within a constant, controlled budget.
Five frontrunner cities and leading contractors have already signed on. OSCAR transforms home renovation from scattered projects into a national movement, proving that aggregated demand unlocks innovation and lowers costs. Built on three levers (behavioural activation, policy innovation, and industrial coordination) and guided by the 0-15-30-60 framework, it delivers renovation that is affordable, fast, and fair, cutting carbon, creating jobs, and making sustainable housing mainstream.
Belgium’s ageing housing stock and low renovation rate do not allow the country to meet its climate targets. (P)REFACE develops a prefabricated façade system from bio-based and reclaimed materials, designed for rapid and flexible deployment. Group renovation of 30 homes will reduce costs, accelerate implementation, and relieve residents’ burden. The approach is scalable and circular, aiming for 635 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent reduction at project completion and 14 million tonnes by 2050 if adopted nationwide.
Low-carbon calcined clay can replace part of the cement in concrete, but technological and regulatory barriers remain. De-Risk SCM brings together a broad consortium covering the full value chain to test and certify materials from waste streams: sludges, soils, and dredged sediments. Pilot installations and large-scale demonstrations will evaluate performance and emissions. Electrification and biogas are also being explored to enable zero-emission production.
A decarbonised grid requires storage that can balance supply and demand over time. Gramme will design and deploy pumped storage hydropower at industrial sites, using gravity reservoirs with an upper and lower water basin. The project addresses three interconnected challenges: electrifying the energy mix, decarbonising electricity supply, and ensuring a stable and flexible grid.
