In 2023, Belgium produced more electricity from renewable energy than from fossil fuels
It was the first time in the country’s history to accomplish this feat.
Looking back on last year, Belgian energy experts were proud to finish their tally and discover that for the first time in the country’s history, the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources exceeded that from fossil fuels.
Overall, renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass and waste account for more than 30 percent of European countries’ energy mix. In absolute terms, this means that renewables generated approximately 23,460 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, while fossil fuels generated 22,150 GWh. The remainder of the country’s electricity production comes from nuclear power plants.
energy milestones
The majority of renewable energy production went to wind and solar. These two sources alone accounted for his 27.7% of Belgium’s electricity.
However, this positive increase is not only due to the construction of additional wind turbines and solar panels. This is also the result of a reduction in power generation due to the closure of the Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors and a further reduction in consumption.
Belgium produced 76,900 GWh last year, a 13% decrease compared to the previous year.
According to the Berga news agency, this story is also in line with trends in other European countries. Remarkably, in Germany, the share of electricity from renewable sources (as a result of a combination of investment in renewables and lower consumption) has risen to more than 50 percent for similar reasons.
Still, it is important for countries like Belgium to promote research and deployment of energy storage facilities, such as batteries, to be able to respond to fluctuations in energy demand, as renewable energy remains vulnerable to that factor. .