On September 2, the official starting signal was given for the construction of DemonstraThor, a new innovative testing environment within the Open Thor Living Lab at Thor Park. With this investment of €3.2 million, Genk will gain a unique 4,400 m² energy hub where companies, researchers, and startups can jointly develop, test, and accelerate the energy solutions of tomorrow.
The energy transition requires more than good ideas alone. New technologies must also be tested under realistic conditions before they can be deployed on a large scale. That is precisely why DemonstraThor is being built: an environment where innovative energy solutions can prove their value not only on paper, but also in practice.
The new infrastructure combines an advanced direct current network (DC grid) with the existing low-temperature heating network, CollecThor. Together, they create a unique environment in which different energy technologies are interconnected and function as one smart ecosystem.
According to Patrice Fleurquin, General Manager of Open Thor Living Lab, DemonstraThor plays an important role in bridging the gap between research and implementation:
“New energy solutions must not only be developed, but also tested under conditions that reflect real-world applications. With DemonstraThor, we provide companies and researchers with the space to validate technologies and facilitate the transition to concrete applications.”
Answers to Three Major Energy Transition Challenges
Within DemonstraThor, the focus will be on three current challenges that have a major impact on our future energy supply.
Smart Charging of Electric Trucks
The electrification of heavy transport is causing a significant increase in electricity demand. Fast-charging stations for trucks require high power capacities and place pressure on the electricity grid. At the same time, they create opportunities for smart energy management.
DemonstraThor offers companies the opportunity to test high-power charging systems under realistic conditions and investigate how they can optimally interact with the energy grid.
The Data Centers of the Future
Data centers are becoming increasingly important in our digital society, but their energy consumption is growing rapidly as well. Within the new DC Test Platform, companies and researchers can work on innovative electrical architectures that make data centers more energy-efficient, flexible, and sustainable. In this way, DemonstraThor contributes to building the next generation of digital infrastructure.
Sustainable Heating Networks
Alongside electricity, heat also plays a crucial role in the energy transition. The existing CollecThor heating network operates at low temperatures and uses technologies such as heat pumps, geothermal energy, and smart control systems.
DemonstraThor creates additional opportunities to develop and test new technologies and innovative business models for heating networks in real-world conditions.
An Open Innovation Environment for Companies and Researchers
What makes DemonstraThor unique is the combination of electricity, heat, energy storage, and digital control within one integrated ecosystem. Companies active in charging infrastructure, energy storage, power electronics, data centers, smart buildings, and heating networks can validate their technologies in a realistic environment.
In addition, the infrastructure stimulates collaboration between businesses, research institutions, and governmental bodies, enabling knowledge to be translated more quickly into practical applications.
Strengthening the Open Thor Living Lab
DemonstraThor is part of the Open Thor Living Lab at Thor Park, where companies, researchers, and public partners collaborate on solutions for the energy transition. The project fits within the further expansion of the living lab, which was approved by the Flemish Government in 2024.
EnergyVille, one of the initiators of the Open Thor Living Lab and based at Thor Park, also sees DemonstraThor as an important next step.
“At EnergyVille, we see that the energy transition increasingly requires solutions that connect different energy domains. DemonstraThor offers a unique environment to study this interaction in practice. By bringing research and realistic demonstration infrastructure close together, we can work with companies to learn more quickly what works and which solutions are ready for broader adoption,” says Bram De Wispelaere, General Manager of EnergyVille.
DemonstraThor in numbers
- Location: Thor Park, Genk
- Surface area: 4,400 m²
- Test infrastructure: 6 test locations with access to an electrical DC network and a low-temperature heating network
- Applications: Energy storage, charging infrastructure, renewable energy, smart buildings, and industrial applications
- Investment: €3.2 million
- Construction period: August 2026 to December 2027
- Operational from: January 2028
Partners
DemonstraThor is being realized by EnergyVille, Thor Park NV, the City of Genk, and the Flemish Government.
Construction partners: Signum+/Ingenium, Gebroeders Janssen bv, and ATS nv.
