Wallonia

The central European country had its best year in terms of new PV deployment in 2020 with around 1,010 MW of installed capacity. Its cumulative solar capacity surpassed 6 GW at the end of December.

Renewable energy production increased by 31% and now represents 18.6% of the country’s electricity mix. Its cumulative PV capacity increased from 3,887 MW at the end of 2019 to 4,788 MW at the end of December.

The tariff, imposed by the regional energy regulator for use of the distribution network, will be charged via bills issued by electricity suppliers.

The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 4.82 GW at the end of 2019. Most of last year’s new PV additions were rooftop projects, but Engie also started up a 100 MW solar park.

Part three of our series on solar’s less covered markets takes us to Belgium, where despite impressive instsllation numbers from the rooftop market, a lack of volume means the country is unlikely to hit its EU mandated 2020 targets for renewable energy.

The controversial charge for residential PV systems will apply only to installations connected to the grid after July 1, and will come into force from 2020. Wallonia has around 1.1 GW of installed solar capacity, most of it residential PV systems.

The energy regulator of Belgium’s French-speaking region has announced the fee for residential PV will come into force next year and may apply only to installations grid-connected after July 1 this year, as proposed by the regional government.

While new PV additions in 2017 totaling 264 MW, the country’s cumulative PV capacity had reached 3.8 GW. The market’s main driver remains residential PV.

As the government of Belgium’s French-speaking region has announced the possible closing of the incentive scheme Qualiwatt, claiming that self-consumption is now becoming more profitable, the region’s regulator CWaPE warns that the abrupt cancellation of the incentives may have a negative psychological effect.

Under the Qualiwatt program, homeowners operating a rooftop PV system of up to 10 KW are entitled to have a deduction on their power bill that is proportionate to the household income.