CollecThor brings circular heating and cooling to life
Since February 2025, one of Belgium’s first fifth-generation heating and cooling networks has been operational at Thor Park in Genk. CollecThor connects buildings so that heat and cold can be exchanged, stored, and reused. At the same time, it serves as a unique real-life test environment for sustainable thermal energy solutions.
Heating and cooling may receive less attention than electricity, but they are equally critical to the energy transition. CollecThor responds to that challenge with an innovative thermal network at Thor Park that became operational in February 2025.
CollecThor stands out because it operates as a very low-temperature, fifth-generation thermal network. Instead of heating or cooling each building separately, energy is shared collectively and managed intelligently across the site. Waste heat from one building can be used to meet demand elsewhere, while surplus heat or cooling can be stored underground in aquifers for later reuse.
The network is also modular by design, which means it can expand as new buildings and applications are added. At the same time, it is part of a broader multi-energy system in which thermal and electrical energy flows are planned and managed together.
What is a fifth-generation thermal network?
A fifth-generation thermal network operates at very low temperatures and is designed not only for heating, but also for cooling, storage, and exchange between buildings. Instead of distributing energy from a single central source, it allows heat and cooling to circulate within a local system. That makes these networks flexible, efficient, and particularly well-suited to urban environments.
Official inauguration
In May 2025, CollecThor was officially inaugurated at Thor Park in the presence of the mayor of Genk Wim Dries and project partners Fluvius and Tethys. A symbolic moment, exactly 101 years after coal mining first started on this historic site. The inauguration marked another milestone in Thor Park’s transformation into a living test environment for sustainable energy in an urban setting.