Reflections from “Samen Stroomt het”
The Belgian CIRCUS event in Leuven
Last week, Leuven became the beating heart of cooperative energy.
Under the title “Samen Stroomt het” (literally “Together, it flows”), Landelijke Gilden and Boerenbond hosted the Belgian CIRCUS event as part of the Interreg North-West Europe CIRCUS Project — bringing together farmers, citizens, researchers and policymakers to explore one essential question:
How can the energy transition truly be made by and for people?
The event consisted of two complementary parts: a seminar on cooperative energy governance and an interactive city walk where participants discovered how local cooperation shapes real-life energy transitions in Leuven.
A seminar that connected knowledge, practice and people
On October 9th, the Keizersberg Abbey in Leuven welcomed over a hundred participants for the seminar “The energy transition from a cooperative point of view.”
The event opened with a keynote by Lode Ceyssens, President of Boerenbond and Landelijke Gilden, who underlined the human dimension of the energy transition:
“Energy transformation does not start with numbers or rules, but with people and villages working together.”
The plenary session featured leading voices from across the cooperative energy landscape:Hannes Hollebecq (CERA) illustrated the power of the cooperative model and how shared ownership can strengthen both local economies and social cohesion.
Anne Wouters (KCO KU Leuven) emphasized the growing impact of citizen cooperatives in fostering participation and trust.
Dirk Vansintjan (REScoop.eu) provided a European perspective on how EU directives are helping energy communities flourish across regions.
In the parallel sessions, several experts and practitioners deepened the conversation:
Freddy Van Bogget (Leuven 2030) and Kris Moonen (VVSG) shared lessons on how local action and technical support accelerate community energy projects.
Marieke De Boe (Landelijke Gilden) presented participatory tools for engaging citizens in community-based energy planning.
Laurens Vandelannoote (Boerenbond) highlighted the role of farmers as key actors in the cooperative energy landscape.
The closing reflections by Luc Motmans, CEO of ECoOB, brought a strong message of alignment between practice and policy.
He showcased how cooperation between citizens, cooperatives and public authorities can make the energy transition tangible, fair and future-proof.
The seminar demonstrated how, across Europe, CIRCUS partners are building bridges between knowledge and implementation — between people and power.
A walk through Leuven – Energy in motion
Two days later, theory met reality.
On October 11th, Samen Stroomt het continued with a “cooperative city walk” through Leuven, where participants discovered inspiring local initiatives shaping the city’s energy landscape.
Guided by Lots of Leuven, the walk visited six symbolic locations where energy, innovation and community spirit converge:
Den Tube & ’t Lampeke – a social project using solar power and heat pumps to support families and youth.
Hungaria & OPEK – revitalized industrial sites now serving as sustainable cultural and living spaces.
Sint-Maartensdal – a large social housing complex preparing for major energy-efficient renovations.
CERA – the final stop, offering an exclusive preview of the international exhibition “Cooperatives: You find them everywhere!”
The walk began at Landelijke Gilden / Boerenbond, where partners including ECoOB and Leuven 2030 shared insights on their ongoing energy initiatives.
Luc Motmans of ECoOB also participated, offering on-site reflections about how cooperative energy projects are reshaping Leuven’s neighborhoods.
The experience revealed how abstract concepts such as community ownership and collective action become tangible when seen in practice — through buildings, people and local stories.
