From 1 to 3 October, all CIRCUS partners gathered in Leuven, Belgium, for a three-day partner meeting that combined progress updates, creative exchange, and collective reflection on the road ahead. The meeting was hosted by Landelijke Gilden, and marked another important milestone in the project’s journey towards a more participative and sustainable energy transition.
Project on Track: From Method to Practice
The CIRCUS project is moving steadily forward. During the meeting, partners shared their progress and discussed the upcoming testing phase across the 30 pilot communities in North-West Europe.
A key highlight was the introduction of the WattWorks tool, which serves as the entry point for the other CIRCUS tools:
the Energy Profiling Tool,
the GIS Tool, and
the Business Model Tool.
Together, these tools help communities and facilitators translate local energy ambitions into concrete, actionable steps from understanding energy profiles to identifying spatial opportunities and developing viable business models.
Inspiration from
the Belgian “Samen Stroomt Het” Event
In parallel with the partner meeting, the CIRCUS partners participated in the Belgian “Samen Stroomt Het” event
a national gathering that brought together stakeholders from across the energy landscape.
Partners attended the theoretical sessions and exchanged ideas with major energy players such as Rescoop, ECoOB, Cera, and VVSG.
These moments of interaction offered fresh perspectives and strengthened the network of organisations working towards a shared goal: enabling communities to take ownership of their energy future.
More info over this event, will follow in an other Blog.
From Theory to Reality:
Visit to the Watermill in Rotselaar
After the “Samen Stroomt Het” event, the partners visited the historic Watermill of Rotselaar, where Dirk Vansintjanwelcomed the group for a guided tour. As co-founder of Ecopower and president of REScoop.eu, Dirk has long been a pioneer in citizen-led renewable energy initiatives.
The watermill, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages, has been producing renewable electricity since 1907 — originally for public lighting in the village. After years of restoration, it once again operates as a working hydro installation, blending historical heritage with modern green technology.
During the visit, Dirk demonstrated how the turbine, generator, and historic milling mechanisms interact, offering the partners a tangible example of community energy in action. Earlier that day, Dirk had spoken at “Samen Stroomt Het”about the theory behind cooperative energy and the CIRCUS approach, making this hands-on experience an inspiring continuation of his talk.
Seeing how shared ownership and collective effort can power both machines and communities perfectly captured the spirit of CIRCUS: turning ideas into practice, and collaboration into energy.
