WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

4.4.2 Belgium
European Small Hydropower Association, Stream Map
Key facts
Population 10,438,353
Area 30,528 km 2
Climate Temperate; mild winters, cool summers;
rainy, humid, cloudy
Topography Flat coastal plains in northwest, central
rolling hills, rugged mountains of
Ardennes Forest in southeast 1
Rain
pattern
Except for the highlands, rainfall is
seldom heavy. Average annual
precipitation is between 700 mm and
1,000 mm. 2
Electricity sector overview
Total installed production capacity of Belgium was
15,802 MW in 2010. Net consumption plus network
losses were estimated at 91,000 GWh in 2010. Nuclear
energy provides more than half of the country’s
Renewable energy policy
Belgium is a federal state of three regions: The Flemish
region, the Walloon region and the Brussels-Capital
region. The evolution of the Belgian energy policy has
been shaped by this system, and has led to the transfer
of wide competences from the State to the Regions. 6
The 2020 renewable energy target is 13 per cent. 6
Belgium uses a tradable green certificate (TGC) system
as its primary support mechanism for the deployment of
renewable power technologies. There are four different
TGCs (i.e. federal, Flemish, Wallonian and Brussels green
certificate) that vary in price and conditions.
In general, renewable energy is a regional matter; only
offshore wind power is governed by national
regulations. The federal grid operator shall meet public
obligations, which include the purchase of green
certificates at a minimum price set by law. Electricity
suppliers are obliged to present green certificates to
prove that a certain proportion (quota) of the electricity
supplied to their final consumers in Belgium was
generated from renewable sources. This quota may
differ according to the region. 6
Solar
Hydro
Wind
Imported
Biomass
Thermal
Nuclear
electricity (figure 1). 3 52.90%
0.01%
0.47%
0.57%
2.03%
4.24%
39.78%
Subsidies exist in the Wallonian region which promote
the use of biogas and biomass combined heat and
power (CHP) plants, solar energy, and hydropower as
well as wind power plants. 6
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Belgium
Source: London Research International 4 , Indexmundi 5
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
In 2010, Belgium had 92 small hydropower plants and a
total installed capacity of 61 MW (191 GWh). By 2020,
the aim is to have 134 small hydropower plants, with a
total installed capacity of 92 MW (285 GWh).
Considering the limited potential of small hydropower in
Belgium (materialized in the National Renewable Energy
Action Plan’s objectives), there has been very little
discussion on the role of small hydropower for energy
production, its role in a balanced energy mix, or as a
source of socio-economic development. The main
remaining potential will be developed on three to four
main waterways, under public concessions.
SHP installed
capacity
SHP potential
61 MW
92 MW
0 20 40 60 80 100
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Belgium
Note: Potential is based on planned capacity by 2020.
Legislation on small hydropower
The residual flow generation is decided upon case by
case. Small hydropower is supported by the green
certificates for the duration of 15 years. The minimum
price is 6.5 euro cents/kWh, while the market price in
2010 was 8.5 euro cents/kWh.
Barriers to small hydropower development
The Austrian Government wants to modify the
classification of small hydropower installations in the
environmental legislation framework, to ‘classify’ all
ranges of installations from class 1 to class 3 (i.e. also
the smaller ones