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ODE Vlaanderen, a renewable energy association in Belgium, says the Flanders region likely added more than 1 GW of solar capacity in 2023. While the residential market will probably have less orders in early 2024, the organization says it expects strong growth in the large-scale market.
The Belgian region of Flanders recorded an additional 902 MW of solar capacity in the first 11 months of 2023, according to statistics from ODE Vlaanderen.
Wannes Demarcke, a policy analyst for ODE Vlaanderen, told pv magazine that it seems “logical” that the final figure for the year, which is expected to come in February, will exceed 1 GW.
“This number always still increases the months after,” he said. “Many installations installed in December 2023 are not added yet in the data.”
In 2023, the Flemish authorities allocated €3 million ($3.3 million) toward its solar rebate scheme. But last year also saw the end of subsidies for solar in Flanders. Demarcke said he expects this will lead to fewer new residential orders in the early months of 2024.
“Even though it is not needed anymore for profitability, it has a mental aspect and a big rush often leads to a reduction in Q1,” he explained.
However, Demarcke predicted that the business-to-business market, which is also subsidy-free, will show “significant growth, because there is an obligation to place solar panels with businesses and public organizations that have a high electricity consumption.”
Looking ahead, all remaining prosumers in Flanders will lose net metering over the next two years, following the installation of digital meters.
“This opens the door for an extension by using the full rooftop potential,” said Demarcke.
Flanders has the largest regional share of installed solar capacity in Belgium.
The country currently has around 8.3 GW of installed solar capacity, according to an interactive grid map published by Belgian network operator Elia in December. |
