Search sponsor
Search sponsor
Update: November 2011
As of July 1st, the government in Flanders made severe cuts in the subsidies for PV installations with outputs of more than 1MW.
Nevertheless, market participants continue to regard the the PV market in Belgium as attractive.
When it comes to matters involving PV technology, Flanders continues to be the frontrunner in Belgium because the subsidies there for solar electricity are definitely better than in Walloniaor Brussels.
March 2011
This proposition has to pass through the Flemish parliament (just after the Easter recess), but is considered to be a formality, since the majority is already found through the approval of the Flemish government.
Back in 2004 the European Reneable Energy Council (EREC) launched the mission for a binding target of 20% EU energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. This goal has given many European countries a boost in terms of renewable energy use. Belgium is one such country which has taken several RES initiatives. At present the country has different FiT rates for the different regions, yet the rate in Flanders seems to be the highest set.
At the beginning of 2010 it was announced that the rate in Flanders would fall from €0.45/kWh to €0.35/kWh for a period of 20 years. However, this rate has now been adjusted again. Full details can be seen in depth in the grid to the left.
In Belgium 77% of the consumed primary energy comes from fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas and coal. The country is working hard towards cutting this percentage down, and increasing its renewable energy sector. Although Belgium is a little slower than most in the uptake of PV it has a growing wind, and hydropower potential.
Belgiumalso has a green certificate system that aims at giving enough incentive for further development of renewable energy.
The PV sector, although not as popular in this country as some other renewables, is slowly increasing. Back in 2005 the installation figures were up to 553kW whereas the following years brought in 2035kW in 2006, 15,658kW in 2007 and 40,000kW in 2008.
Other areas of Belgium are yet to concrete their FiT rates, although these areas are expected to progress in the PV sector in the not so distant future. At present, Belgium is taking advantage of other renewable energy sources such as hydropower and biomass.
The groundwork put in place by the EREC was taken over by the European Commission in 2007 in its Renewable Energy Roadmap. European Heads of State and of Governments gave the go-ahead to this binding target later in the year at the March summit.
As we reach the end of 2010, the Flemish Government has again made adjustment to the support for renewable power. The new support rates for solar installations will begin from 2011, but will curb in a significantly downward trend from then on.
The FiT in this region will now begin to fall each year until 2018 when it will fall to €0.09/kWh.
