Industry–policy collaboration to inform net-zero energy pathways to 2050 

Belgium’s transition to climate neutrality by 2050 requires coordinated action across government, industry, and energy system operators. To support this process, EnergyVille launched the PATHS2050 initiative, a long-term analytical platform designed to inform national and regional policy discussions on the energy transition. Since 2022, the initiative has brought together researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to explore how Belgium can achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness and security of supply. 

A central element of the initiative is the PATHS2050 Coalition, which brings together major energy, industrial, and infrastructure actors to co-develop shared assumptions and evaluate future energy system pathways. In 2025, the coalition published three net-zero-by-2050 scenarios for Belgium, outlining technically feasible transition pathways and identifying key investment and policy priorities for 2030, 2040, and 2050. Complementary sensitivity analyses examined the robustness of these pathways under uncertainties related to renewable deployment, nuclear availability, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). 

The analysis highlights electrification as the backbone of Belgium’s decarbonisation strategy, with significant implications for electricity system expansion, infrastructure development, and industrial transformation. By translating long-term climate objectives into consistent system-wide pathways, the modelling provides a shared analytical basis for dialogue between policymakers and industry on the most robust strategies for achieving net-zero emissions.