Belgium's solar power generation to grow by 17% in 2021

    London-based consultancy GlobalData has forecast that Belgium is planning to phase out nuclear power by 2025. Electricity figures for 2021 released by transmission System Of Solar Panels system operator Elia Group show that solar, wind and gas will play a significant role in replacing this controversial source of electricity.

    The trend of Belgian nuclear reactors crowding out the gas-fired power generation market last year was exacerbated by rising gas prices. According to Elia's report on Friday, gas's share of the power mix will drop from 34.7% in 2020 to 24.8% in 2021. The figures come a day after GlobalData said seven nuclear power plants in Belgium, mainly owned by French energy company Engie's Electrabel unit and French state holding company EDF's Luminus, were scheduled to shut down by 2026. The Doel 3 nuclear reactor will come off line this year, followed by Tihange 2 next year, and Doel 4 and Tihange 3 by 2025, according to the London-based analyst firm.

    "Besides renewables, Belgium will rely on gas-fired generation capacity to meet electricity demand," GlobalData said on Friday.

    As for solar, Elia reports that solar generated 17% more electricity last year to 4.64TWh, a rise of 9%, while the accompanying table shows an increase of 4.67TWh and nearly 10%. Solar power plants generated 4.7TWh of electricity (some of which was exported), with 5.1% of the electricity mix supplied by 50Hertz project owner Elia to its Belgian and German customers, up from 4.3TWh in 2020, however this means that Solar's figure was down slightly from the previous year's 5.2% share of Elia's power mix.

     GlobalData forecasts that Belgium will achieve 11.8GW of solar capacity by the end of the decade, surpassing its target of installing 6.9GW of solar in 2030.