Belgian industry accelerates decarbonisation, but faces execution challenges
Insights from the Equans Barometer 2026 and the role of Equans in decarbonisation and climate adaptation.Belgian industry accelerates decarbonisation, but faces execution challenges
Insights from the Equans Barometer 2026 and the role of Equans in decarbonisation and climate adaptation.
A mature market with a pragmatic vision
Today, Belgian industry finds itself in an advanced yet demanding phase of the energy transition. The Equans Barometer: Decarbonisation of Industries 2026 (FR press release / NL press release), based on interviews with 214 Belgian industrial decision-makers, reveals a market that is firmly convinced of the need for decarbonisation, while at the same time facing increasing complexity in its implementation. Belgium stands out for its distinctly pragmatic approach: the willingness to transform is strong, but only when solutions are technically robust, economically viable and operationally feasible.
Maturity expressed in figures
This maturity is clearly reflected in the data. In Belgium, 84% of respondents acknowledge that the industrial sector is currently a significant source of CO₂ emissions, while 83% indicate that companies actively and structurally monitor their emissions. In addition, 77% state that, when conditions allow, they consciously opt for decarbonised solutions.
These figures confirm that decarbonisation in Belgium is no longer an abstract policy objective, but an integral part of industrial decision-making. At the same time, Belgium positions itself as less overtly optimistic than some other countries, with a stronger focus on reliability, scalability and return rather than speed alone.
Decarbonisation as a lever for performance and innovation
This realistic approach goes hand in hand with clear expectations in terms of business value.
-
In Belgium, 85% of respondents are convinced that decarbonisation improves the operational performance of industry.
-
In addition, 88% see it as a key driver of innovation.
-
At the same time, 91% state that the transition enhances the attractiveness of the sector, particularly in terms of investment and talent.
Decarbonisation is therefore increasingly viewed not as a compliance exercise, but as a lever for competitiveness and long-term resilience.
At this intersection of sustainability and performance, Equans positions itself as an integrator.
By combining energy efficiency, process optimisation and digitalisation, Equans translates sustainability ambitions into measurable results on the ground. This ranges from optimising industrial processes and technical installations to deploying digital solutions for energy monitoring, data-driven control and predictive maintenance. In doing so, decarbonisation becomes embedded at the core of industrial operations.
A long-term journey with structural challenges
At the same time, the barometer highlights that implementation is far from straightforward. In Belgium, 86% of respondents consider industrial decarbonisation to be a long-term journey. Moreover, 76% indicate that it is more complex than in other sectors, while 75% point to financial impact as a real barrier. The main obstacles identified by Belgian companies include the complexity of available solutions (33%), administrative and regulatory complexity (25%), and the scale of required investments (24%). The challenge, therefore, is not one of conviction, but of managing complexity.
Equans plays a key role in this context by structuring decarbonisation pathways and translating them into concrete actions. Through feasibility studies, techno-economic business cases and a phased roadmap approach, Equans supports Belgian industrial clients in prioritising investments, mitigating risks and substantiating decisions. By delivering end-to-end project support - from engineering and execution to maintenance and optimisation - decarbonisation becomes a controlled process with clear milestones and measurable impact.
Where Belgian companies are taking action today
Belgian data shows that many companies are currently in a transition phase.
-
In Belgium, 39% of companies have implemented or are deploying decarbonisation measures.
-
14% have already completed their decarbonisation journey, while 25% have initiated concrete actions and are scaling up.
Only 1% of Belgian companies have not yet considered the topic, underlining its widespread adoption.
The most commonly implemented measures include energy efficiency and sobriety (51%), circularity and more efficient use of resources (52%), and the replacement of fossil fuels (48%).
Equans directly supports these priorities through tailored solutions, including the electrification of industrial processes, the deployment of heat pumps and electric boilers, waste heat recovery and district heating networks, as well as the integration of renewable energy and storage.
By combining these technologies within a single coherent design, tailored to the specific context of each industrial site, Equans helps Belgian companies accelerate progress efficiently.
Climate adaptation: from awareness to action
In addition to decarbonisation, climate adaptation is gaining increasing attention in Belgium. The barometer shows that 39% of Belgian companies report having experienced the impact of climate conditions over the past two years. Furthermore, 83% recognise that adaptation is crucial to ensuring the continuity of infrastructure and operations, while 86% consider it essential to maintaining asset value and insurability. However, only 31% of Belgian companies currently have adaptation measures in place or under deployment, highlighting a clear gap between awareness and implementation.
Equans approaches climate adaptation as a logical and necessary extension of decarbonisation. Through risk and vulnerability assessments of industrial sites, robust energy and infrastructure solutions, redundancy and backup systems, smart monitoring and business continuity solutions, Equans helps Belgian industrial players strengthen the resilience of their installations. Adaptation is thus integrated into a broader strategy of risk management and operational continuity.
From insights to integrated transformation
The Equans Barometer paints the picture of a Belgian industrial sector that is conceptually ready for decarbonisation and adaptation, but requires acceleration in execution. The next phase does not call for additional conviction, but for solutions that are technically robust, economically sound and operationally scalable. By integrating decarbonisation and adaptation into a single, coherent pathway, Equans supports Belgian industrial clients in achieving sustainable transformation with tangible, measurable impact.
Contact