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Solar thermal in Belgium

General

In the strongly regionalized state of Belgium a distinction can be made between federal policy and regional policy regarding renewable energy sources (RES). The incentive schemes for RES are most dominant at the regional level, while on the federal level the RES policy is imposed in more general terms. Attention for energy saving activities exists at both levels. For electricity, the green certificate trading and quota system has been implemented for both Flanders and Wallonia. The certificates can be traded at regional level or at federal level. The three regional energy agencies are: VIREG (Flemish Region), DGTRE (Walloon Region) and IBGE (Region of Brussels Capital). The main renewable contribution in the Belgian energy mix comes from combustible renewable biomass and waste sources. In Flanders, generation from renewable sources is expected to rise to 6% by 2010, being at 2% in 2004. In Wallonia, the objective for 2010 is a raise to 8% at the horizon 2010. In both regions there is a fast growing electricity generation coming from wind energy. Brussels-Capital has, because of its limited surface and electricity generation capacity, very limited renewable energy facilities, being mainly solar thermal demonstration projects.

According to the draft Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources the target for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in the year 2020 for Belgium is 13% (in the year 2005 the share was 2.2%) (European Parliament legislative resolution of 17 December 2008).

Renewable energy projections according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Belgium

The National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) for Belgium was submitted in December 2010. The target according to Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC is 13% for the year 2020 and the projected NREAP share in that year exactly matches the target.  According to the projection, the most important contribution in the year 2020 is expected from biomass (renewable heating and cooling) (2034 ktoe, 38% of all renewable energy). Second important contribution is expected from biomass (renewable electricity) (11.0 TWh or 949 ktoe, 18% of all renewable energy). The third largest contribution is from wind power (10.5 TWh or 901 ktoe, 17% of all renewable energy). Wind power contributes with 4.3 GW (10.5 TWh). For solar photovoltaic the 2020 contribution is projected to be 1.3 GW (1.1 TWh). For solar thermal the 2020 contribution is projected to be 199 ktoe. The two most important biofuels are projected to contribute 698 ktoe (biodiesel) and 91 ktoe (bioethanol / bio-ETBE) by 2020. The renewable electricity production from solid biomass amounts to 9.6 TWh (823 ktoe) and for biogas it is expected to be 1.4 TWh (124 ktoe). The consumption of renewable heat is expected to amount to 1947 ktoe for solid biomass and 55 ktoe for biogas.
 
Renewable heating and cooling: solar thermal

Three types of policy instruments are in operation for solar thermal systems: at the federal level, tax rebates are in place. In addition premiums, paid by electricity distribution companies and regional or local governments are available.

The fiscal tax relief for a solar thermal system amounts to 40% of the investment up to a maximum of 3600 euro. Only systems are eligable that have an orientation between East, South, West or in between, an inlcination angle between 0° and 70° and have been installed by a certified installer.

At the regional level several incentives exist for solar thermal energy. Electricity distribution companies serve as intermediaries as a result of an agreement with the federal government and they thus have their own promotion programmes. For example, the companies IMEA and Eandis have premiums available for systems installed up before January 1st 2009 at the rate of 75 euro per m2 collector surface ranging from a minimum 525 euro up to a maximum of 1500 euro per system (in case of solar space heating).

An easy accessible database of regional incentives in Flandres exists, accessible though a database on http://www.energiesparen.be/subsidies/subsidiemodule, maintained by the Vlaams Energieagentschap (VEA).

 At the level of the municipality an example is the city of Antwerp, in which a premium of 250 euro is granted to a solar thermal system.

 APERe, the association for the promotion of renewable energies in Wallonia, comprises an autonous procurement group (Groupement d'Achat de Chauffe-eau-solaire, GRACH), which unites consumers that want to install solar thermal systems, PV systems or green power or gas. In the year 2006, according to their own estimates, 1500m² solar thermal systems were installed, 10% of the Walloon region market.

 In the Walloon region, the regional premium Soltherm grants a premium to all solar thermal installations. The amount of subsidy is 1500 euro for a collector surface between 2 and 4 m², with an additional 100 euro for each extra square meter, up to a maximum of 6000 euro. This premium can be combined with other incentives provided that the total subsidy does not exceed 75% of the investment. This applies to both private persons as to enterprises.

 The future potential for solar water heaters is estimated at an installed capacity of around 3 GWth, delivering 3 TWhth or 11 PJth per year resulting in a surface requirement of 10 km2 collector surface, corresponding to less than 10 m2 per roof.

 
Future programme changes expected
No information available.
 

Sources

Organisatie voor Duurzame Energie (ODE) Vlaanderen, http://www.ode.be (sourced September 2008)

 Groupement d'Achat de Chauffe-eau-solaire , http://www.grach.be (sourced September 2008)

 Association pour la Promotion des Energies Renouvelables, APERe, http://www.apere.org (sourced September 2008)

 Ministère de la Région wallonne, Division de l’Energie, www.mrw.wallonie.be/dgtre

 Federal Governmental Services (FPS) Economy, SMEs, independent Professions and Energy  http://www.mineco.fgov.be (sourced September 2008)

 Vlaams Energieagentschap (VEA), http://www.energiesparen.be/subsidies/subsidiemodule (sourced April 2009)

Commission Energy 2030, Belgium's Energy Challenges Towards 2030, final report, June 2007, http://www.ce2030.be

 Prof. J. De Ruyck, Renewable energies, memo for the Commission Energy 2030 (strictly confidential), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 25 October 2006, http://www.ce2030.be/public/documents_publ/REN_for_CE2030_V5.pdf

 Portail de l'Énergie en Région wallonne, http://energie.wallonie.be (sourced September 2008)

The National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) are all published on the Transparency Platform on Renewable Energy: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/action_plan_en.htm (sourced July - December 2010)

Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans of the European Member States, http://www.ecn.nl/nreap (sourced December 2010)

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Last update: April 2009


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