More than €170 million worth of fraudulent green certificates have been issued over the past eight years, according to unpublished reports observed by Belgian newspaper De Tijd.
Green certificates are a subsidy that the Flemish government introduced to encourage renewable energy production. Flemish citizens who owned solar panels that produced enough electricity to qualify for the certificates could earn a guaranteed subsidy for up to 20 years.
In 2017, the Flemish government permitted Fluvius, the region’s electricity and gas network operator, to investigate suspected fraudulent usage of the green certificates. Between 2018 and 2025, Fluvius's checks led to €172 million in payments being suspended.
More than €62 million had already been paid to applicants before the irregularities were detected. Fluvius is actively working to recover the money and has recovered roughly €26 million so far.
The main form of fraud involved falsifying the dates on invoices and inspection reports. This made solar installations appear to have been completed or inspected earlier than they actually were, potentially allowing owners to qualify for higher subsidies.
The full legal ramifications for those suspected of fraud are not currently known.
