Energy in Belgium

Energy in Belgium describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Belgium.

For electricity in Belgium, see Electricity sector in Belgium.

Doel Nuclear Power Station
Wind turbine

It is governed by the energy policy of Belgium, which is split over several levels of government. For example, the regional level is responsible for awarding green certificates (except for offshore wind parks) and the national level for anything concerning nuclear power. As a member country of the European Union Belgium also complies to its energy policy.

Belgium in heavily reliant on ageing nuclear reactors and gas powered generators although renewables, especially wind power is generating an increasing percentage of electricity consumed.

The energy plan is for Brussels to be carbon neutral by 2050, with emissions down by 40% in 2030, 67% in 2040 and 90% in 2050 compared to 2005.[1] Belgium as a whole has a target of a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030.[2]

Energy statistics
2020 energy statistics[3]
Production capacities for electricity
(billion kWh)
TypeAmount
Nuclear89.98
Fossil fuel78.08
Wind power35.38
Biomass18.16
Solar13.68
Hydro0.70
Total235.98
      
Electricity
(billion kWh)
CategoryAmount
Consumption81.17
Production85.27
Import13.39
Export14.05
      
Natural Gas
(billion m3)
Consumption18.17
Import22.61
Export3.94
      
Crude Oil
(barrels per day)
Consumption234,440,000
Production4,160,000
Import243,350,000

CO2 emissions:
85.36 million tons

Primary energy consumption
Electricity imports/exports

Primary energy is the amount of extractable energy present in fuels as they are found in nature. It is often expressed in tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) or watt-hour (Wh). Unless stated otherwise the lower heating value is used in the remainder of this text. A portion of primary energy is converted into other forms before it is used, depending on the energy conversion efficiency of the installation and method employed this number differs significantly from the final energy as consumed by end users.

Import

In 2021, crude oil was imported mainly from the Netherlands.[4]

Natural gas net imports are mainly from the Netherlands and Norway in 2021.[5]

Electricity
Electricity generation
Main article: Electricity sector in Belgium
See also: List of power stations in Belgium

Electrabel is main producer of electricity, followed by EDF Luminus.

Short term trading is done via the Belpex energy exchange, which is now part of APX-ENDEX. The Belgian transmission grid, operated by Elia System Operator, has a central position in the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe. This allows Belgium to trade electricity with its neighbours. Though currently there are only physical connections with the Netherlands and France. Direct links with Germany (Alegro) and the United Kingdom (Nemo) are planned. Currently a maximum of 3500 MW can be imported.[6] In comparison, the net installed generation capacity in Belgium is estimated to be 19,627 MW.[7]

According to the GEMIX report the potential of renewable energy sources is 17 TWh per year.[8]

Energy types

Nuclear power
Main article: Nuclear power in Belgium

Nuclear power typically contributes between 50% and 60% of the electricity produced domestically (50.4% in 2010).

Belgium has two nuclear power plants:

By law[9] the nuclear power plants are to be phased-out, two reactors, Doel 3 and Tihange 2 were closed in 2012, however the government has extended the life of the remaining five.

The lifetime of one old reactor was extended through to 2025 and in 2023, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine it was agreed to extend the life of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors to 2035.[10]

Fossil fuels
Closed coal mine in Belgium

Coal power

The use of coal in thermal power plants has been decreasing, in 2000 it was still used to produce 14.25% of electricity,[11] by 2006 this had dropped to about 10%. In 2010 it was down to 6.3%. The last conventional coal units of the thermal power plants in Mol and Kallo ceased and were closed in March 2016.[12]

Natural gas

In 2022 gas accounted for 24.4% of gross electricity generated with coal at 0.04%.[13] Fluxys is the main operator in natural gas transmission.

Several power stations use a combined cycle including: Drogenbos, Amercoeur, Tessenderlo. Building permits are processed for plants in Seneffe and Visé.

Oil refining

At the end of 2011 Belgium had a distillation capacity 41 Mt. That year 72% of the capacity was used. [14]

Renewables
Years in which the last three renewable power levels achieved
AchievementYearAchievementYearAchievementYear
5%200710%201815%not achieved[3]

Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources.

In 2000, renewable energy (including biomass) was used for producing 0.95% of the 78.85 TWh of electricity produced domestically[11] This had risen to 13.01% in 2021.[15]

On 11 May 2022 7,112 MW was generated by combined wind and solar energy production.[16]

Wind power
Main article: Wind power in Belgium
Further information: Wind power in the European Union

At the start of 2012, there were 498 operational wind turbines in Belgium, with a capacity of 1080 MW.[17] The amount of electricity generated from wind energy has surpassed 2 TWh per year.[18] By 2021 wind power accounted for 19% of Belgium’s installed power generation capacity and 11% of total power generation.

There are seven large-scale offshore wind farm projects. Northwind (216MW), Thorntonbank Wind Farm (325 MW), Belwind Wind Farm (330 MW) are operational. The others are in various stages of planning.

EU and Belgium Wind Energy Capacity (MW)[19][20][21][22][23][24]
No Country 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998
–EU-27 153,730 141,726 128,751 117,384 105,69693,95784,07474,76764,71256,51748,06940,51134,38328,59923,15917,31512,8879,6786,453
15Belgium 2,386 2,218 1,959 1,665 1,3751,078911563415287194167966835321366

Solar power
Main article: Solar power in Belgium

The exploitation of Solar power is on the rise in Belgium. In 2021 solar accounted for 27% of Belgium’s power generation capacity and 6% of total power generation.[25]

Year Photovoltaics[26][27][28][29][30]
MWp GWh Ref
2008 71 n.a
2009 574 488
2010 787 560
2011 2,051 1,170
2012 2,768 2,115
2013 2,983 2,352
2014 3,140 2,883
2015 3,252 3,045 [31]
2016 3,561 3,086 [32]
2017 3,846 3,149 [32]
2018 4,254 3,563
Source: Photovoltaic Barometer

Biomass and waste

In 2009, biomass and biogas were used to generate 3.5 TWh or 3.8% of gross domestic electricity production.

In 2010 5.07 million tonnes of waste was produced in Belgium, of which 1.75 Mt was incinerated. Nearly always (99.8% of the time) energy was recovered during incineration. Non renewable waste was used for producing 1.4% of the gross domestic electricity production. 1.9 Mt was recycled and 1 Mt was composted or fermented; only 0.062 Mt was dumped.[33] Ten years earlier this was only 0.71%.[11]

Hydroelectric power

Belgium has two pumped storage hydroelectric power stations: Coo-Trois-Ponts (1164 MW) and Plate-Taille (143 MW). Pumped storage stations are a net consumer of electricity, but they contributed 1.4% to the gross electricity production in 2010.

Despite the limited potential there are also a number of stations generating hydroelectric power. With a combined capacity of about 100 MW. Contributing 0.3% of gross domestic production in 2010.

Almost all of this capacity is realised in the Walloon Region. Even though hydroelectric power was used extensively in Flanders prior to the industrial revolution, there are no rivers where it can be generated on a large scale.[34] The region's 15 installations have a combined capacity just shy of 1 MW (994 kW).[35]

Final energy consumption
Final energy consumption by sector (2010)

In 2010 the largest share (34%) of final energy was for domestic use (this includes: households, service sector, commerce, and agriculture). Transport and industrial sector both consumed about a quarter. Fossil fuels are also used as raw material in several manufacturing processes, this non-energetic use accounts for the remainder of the final energy.

A more detailed picture of the energy and type of fuel used by various activities is given in the table below.

final energy by activity(ktoe)[36]
Electricity Natural gas Coal Oil Renewable Heat Total Share of final energy
Domestic usage (2009)
Households17383322264275623113832420.2%
Commerce and services18471728952969460511.2%
Agriculture8823543335258162.0%
Other9946640.2%
Industrial usage (2009)
Chemical7461979131491837032757.9%
Iron and steel4476785781117144.2%
Non metal minerals1682902022699410232.5%
Food/beverage/tobacco4005315651183010862.6%
Printing/paper pulp2051483315307507581.8%
Construction1101976333700.9%
Non ferro metals11496221113430.8%
Machinery1516621722380.6%
Textile and leather108973132120.5%
Transportation items879241830.4%
Wood6791031790.4%
Extractive industries5411650.2%
Other152426218144321.0%
Transport usage (2009)
Road8881231911222.1%
Air129512953.1%
Rail151351860.5%
Inland navigation1651650.4%
Total final usage (2010)
Absolute 2010716311960136321746115664044028
Share 201016.3%27.2%3.1%49.4%2.6%1.5%100%

Brussels-Capital Region

In the Brussels-Capital Region, the electricity and natural gas net are operated by Sibelga. In 2011, the natural gas consumption was 10,480 GWh and the electricity consumption was 5,087 GWh.[37]

Sibelga invests in combined heat and power (CHP) installations for which it receives green certificates. In 2011 its eleven installations had a combined capacity of 17.8 MWe and 19.7 MWth and generated 50.5 GWh of electricity.[37]

The Region of Brussels-Capital also encourages MicroCHP[38] and implemented the European directive of 2002/91/CE on Energy Performance of Buildings.

Corporations

The companies Umicore, BASF, Solvay, Duferco, Tessenderlo Chemie, ArcelorMittal, and Air Liquide together account for about 15% of the total electricity consumption of Belgium in 2006.[39]

Greenhouse gas emissions
Main article: Climate change in Belgium

In 1990, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 146.9 million tons of CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2 eq), whose 88 million tons came from the Flemish Region, 54.8 from the Walloon Region and 4 Mt from the Brussels-capital Region.[40]

Being a member of the European Union, Belgium, applied the European Union Emission Trading Scheme set up by the Directive 2003/87/EC. The Kyoto protocol sets a 7.5% reduction of greenhouse gas emission target compared to 1990. Belgium set up a National Allocation Plan at the federal level with target for each of the three regions.

Belgium takes part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

On 14 November 2002, Belgium signed the Cooperation Agreement for the implementation of a National Climate Plan and reporting in the context of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto protocol. The first National Allocation Plan was for the period from 2005 to 2007. The European commission approved it on 20 October 2004. The second allocation plan was for the period 2008–2012 and aims a reduction of 7.5% of green house gas emissions compared to 1990.

By 2019, the Walloon region had decreased 34% of its CO2 emissions, while Flanders had only decreased 8%.

Business

According to Forbes list of billionaires (2011), the Belgian billionaire Wang Xingchun ($1 B 2011) made his wealth in coal business.[41] Wang is a resident of Singapore who holds a Belgian citizenship. Wang is chairman of minerals concern Winsway Coking Coal, an importer of coal to China from Mongolia that went public in Hong Kong 2010.[42]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Energy in Belgium.

References
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