Belgium: Wallonian government confirms closing of residential PV incentive scheme

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“Photovoltaic systems are so profitable today that the Qualiwatt incentive program can now disappear, which will be done by June 30, 2018. For those who currently benefit from the scheme’s incentives, there will be no retroactivity, and nothing changes.”

This announcement was made by Wallonia’s Minister of Energy Jean-Luc Crucke on its twitter account on Thursday. The eventuality of the closing of the scheme, on the other hand, had been revealed by energy regulator of Wallonia, the CWaPE, at the beginning of this month.

Crucke made it clear in November that he intended to close the scheme, although at the time no time frame was given. The minister cited the example of Belgium’s largest macro-region, the Flemish-speaking region of Flanders, which is seeing a considerable increase in new installations this year, although no direct incentives are being granted to residential and commercial PV.

The Qualiwatt allows owners of residential PV systems to receive deductions on their electricity bills proportionate to household income. For the first half of 2018, the deduction is expected to range from €96.9 per kW installed, to €147.8 per kW, depending on the energy provider.

The CWaPE said that around 90 MW of PV capacity was installed under the Qualiwatt program between 2014 and 2017. Overall, Belgium had 3.42 GW of installed PV capacity at the end of 2016. Of this capacity, 916 MW was installed in Wallonia.

Each of Belgium’s three macro-regions has its own energy systems and its own policy for solar and renewables.

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