In 2023, Belgium produced more electricity from renewables than fossil fuels

This was the first time in the history of the country to achieve that feat

Looking back on the past year, Belgian energy experts were proud to find out, after drawing up the tally, that for the first time in the country’s history, the share of electricity from renewable sources has surpassed that made from fossil fuels.

Overall, renewable sources – solar, wind, biomass and waste - accounted for more than 30 per cent of the energy mix of the European country. In absolute terms, this means that renewables generated some 23,460 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, whereas fossil fuels produced 22,150 GWh. The remainder of the country’s power production is attributed to nuclear power plants.

Energy milestone

The lion’s share of the renewable energy production went to wind and solar. These two sources alone accounted for 27.7 % of Belgium’s electricity.

​The positive increase, however, isn't just due to the construction of additional wind turbines and solar panels. It is also the result of reduced electricity production due to the closure of nuclear reactors Doel 3 and Tihange 2 and a further decline in consumption.

Within Belgium, 76,900 GWh was produced last year, 13 per cent less than in the previous year.

According to Belga news agency, this story is in line with trends in other European countries as well. Notably, in Germany, the share of electricity from renewables - the result of investment in renewables combined with lower consumption - has risen to over 50 per cent for similar reasons.

Still, what’s important for countries like Belgium is to boost research and implementation of energy storage facilities, such as batteries in order to be able to meet the fluctuations in energy demand, as renewables are still vulnerable to that factor.