Elia's adequacy study flags Belgium's flexibility gap through 2036

Elia published its Adequacy and Flexibility Study 2026–2036 on 27 June 2025, setting out Belgium's resource adequacy outlook over the next decade. The study identifies three structural priorities: continued implementation of the capacity remuneration mechanism (CRM), accelerated development of flexibility resources, and greater policy clarity on the long-term energy mix.

Flexibility sits at the centre of the analysis. As Belgium integrates more variable renewables, the study signals that dispatchable flexibility, not raw generation capacity, will increasingly determine whether supply meets demand at the margin. The CRM remains the primary instrument for securing adequate capacity, but the study implies the mechanism alone is insufficient without a parallel flexibility push.

The publication follows Elia's 6 June 2025 endorsement of the Belgian government's decision to optimise the offshore energy hub, including planning for a second interconnector with the United Kingdom. Together, both announcements point to a Belgian grid strategy that pairs domestic flexibility investment with expanded cross-border import capacity over the coming decade.