Page 56 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2019 publication

56 Summer 2019 European Energy Innovation

BELGIUM ENERGY & INNOVATION

Belgian perspective on
innovation within the
EU Energy Union Policy

By Lieve Wierinck, MEP and Lydia Peeters, Flemish Minister for Finances, Budget and Energy
Many GoT fans would
disagree if I say that Belgium is one of the best-connected interconnection capacity, smart grids
winter is a yearly season countries for gas in the European and storage.
and comes every Union with a highly diversified
gas supply. This brings numerous “We can’t outrun ‘em, but we can

year, at quite a predictable time. advantages and opportunities. outsmart ‘em”

Nevertheless, we can all agree that Whether synthetic, green gas, In order to phase out the nuclear

winter can be quite unpredictable or hydrogen, all can be used for capacity in Belgium, there is a

and can give us unsteady supplies in seasonal energy storage. By 2025, high need to invest in climate

our energy security. it could presumably be possible to mainstreaming. (Former) Flemish

import 50% of the peak capacity. Minister for Energy Bart Tommelein has

The recent temporary shutdown set the pace for an ambitious strategy.

of several nuclear power plants in However, there is also a dangerous

Belgium is a reminder of the need downside to this comfortable A good example are the grants to

to redirect our entire national energy position. Belgium is developing six new floating solar panel projects.

supply system. The situation of the an increasing level of dependency Together, the solar projects will

fallout of the nuclear power plants that is a consequence of its import receive a maximum of €4.1 million

has led to an increased dependency capacity, the evolution of the in support, representing 11MW of

of Belgium on electricity imports available production capacity in renewable energy.

from neighbouring countries. This neighbouring countries and the actual

dependency is already relatively high: available commercial capacity on the Each of these projects has an

in 2016 only Luxembourg and Malta interconnections. In 2018, the Member innovative character and is testing a

had a higher import rate than Belgium. State shattered one import record number of innovations. For example,

after another, with the highest import they introduce lightweight solar

This underlines the need for a real levels in history at the very end of the panels, double-sided solar panels

Energy Union; a Union of which year. On 26 December, at one point, with active cooling, special anchoring

regional cross-border cooperation Belgium imported 5,234MW, which in the ground and verges, raft

and a well-functioning European, comes close to the total of the entire structures that can withstand large

interconnected electricity market Belgian core park (5,92MW). water level fluctuations, snow loads

are the building blocks to secure and ice pressure, and so on.

our energy supply in Belgium. Not In the past legislation, the Belgian

to have such an Energy Union will federal government of 2014-2019 The former Minister gives an

inevitably result in energy insecurity, searched for a common, more important signal as innovation plays

accompanied by vast economic risk sustainable approach in order to a key role in achieving our renewable

as a result. Last winter, pessimistic solve the bottleneck problem in energy objectives. This will be the

prognoses became reality as the long term. In March 2018, the basis of the energy transition. Let

Belgium was forced to call upon its federal government and the three there be no misunderstanding: Our

neighbouring countries to provide regional governments agreed on prime weapon and ally in the battle

assistance to ensure the availability the Interfederal Energy Pact, which against climate change is innovation!1

of import capacity and help reduce provides a long-term vision on

load shedding. In addition, Belgian how Belgium intends to handle In addition to new investments,

authorities have taken a number the energy transition. As Belgium it is important that the relevant

of safeguard measures to preserve has committed to fully phasing out production factors are available, in

security of power supply, bringing nuclear energy by 2025, there is need particular the skilled labour forces.

additional capacity back to the for significant additional investments In Belgium we urgently need to

market. in power generation, as well as in address labour shortages, we run

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