Alain Maron, the new Brussels energy minister, has decided to reduce the number of green certificates that will be awarded to Brussels inhabitants investing in solar power by 17%, La Libre Belgique, Le Soir, and L'Echo reported on Tuesday.
New factors involved will lead to a decrease in the number of certificates issued by 17% for installations producing less than 6 kWc (allocated to individuals) and by 42% for larger installations producing more than 250 kWc (allocated to the largest companies).
Maron has decided to follow the recommendations of Brugel, the Brussels regulatory body for the energy sector, whose final report was published on Monday. This proposal is slightly more favourable than its predecessor that projected a decrease of 20% and 50% respectively in the number of green certificates.
The reduction in subsidies is not backdated, since it concerns only those installations entering into service from April 2020.
Maron is relying on the text being approved at the "beginning of 2020", notably after it has gone before the Council of State, to come into force in April, "so as not to take anyone by surprise," the minister explained in Le Soir.
"Our goal is to continue to support renewable energy, including solar power, but it is necessary to sustain the support system. In spite of the reduction in the number of green certificates allocated, it will still be very interesting to fit the solar panels. In point of fact, the Brussels Region guarantees a return on investment in seven years maximum," Maron assured in the columns of La Libre Belgique.
L'Echo emphasised that the Brussels Region is alone in Belgium in still issuing green certificates to individuals.
The Brussels Times
