Renewable energy in Flanders: objectives, plans and implementation

2020 target met with difficulty

Belgium achieved its European 2020 target of 13% renewable energy, but only after tedious agreements between governments and the purchase of renewable energy statistics from abroad, due to insufficient domestic production. The EU aims for 45% renewable energy by 2030, but the Belgian proposals fell short of expectations in 2023. Because Belgium failed to submit a final, updated version of its National Energy and Climate Plan by June 2024, the European Commission initiated infringement proceedings. Flanders did not update its Flemish Energy and Climate Plan (FECP) until July 2025. From 2023 onwards, Belgium achieved its reference share (13%, the 2020 target) without purchasing foreign statistics, and the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption rose to 14.7% in 2023.

Flemish Renewable Energy Production

Flemish renewable energy production quadrupled between 2005 and 2020, but remained below the 2020 targets. Wind energy and green heat, in particular, lagged behind. Flemish Government did not investigate why its own production was insufficient. The updated FECP includes new growth targets: +74% for green electricity and +61% for green heat. The plan does not reflect the priority given to green heat.

Renewable energy monitoring is sound, especially for green electricity. Flanders met its targets after 2020, but again purchased foreign statistics in 2021. The expansion of wind energy must accelerate. Green heat is lagging behind the target.

Challenges

Flemish Government has developed measures for its FECP objectives in a solar plan, a wind plan, and a heat plan. These plans largely confirm existing growth paths, but still face significant challenges. For solar energy, these include the integration of PV installations into the energy market and the exemplary role of government authorities. For wind energy, an integrated policy framework that aligns spatial planning, energy objectives, and sectoral objectives is lacking. The long processing times for final permits also remain a problem. For heat, collective heating networks and local heat plans are still insufficiently developed.

Financial support

Between 2014 and 2023, nearly 13 billion euro in support was allocated to renewable energy, of which nearly 11 billion euro was allocated to green electricity. Green heat received relatively little support, despite its significant potential. Moreover, the support is fragmented and lacks transparency. Only 1.8 billion euro came from the Flemish budget; the remainder was passed on to electricity consumers by grid operators and electricity suppliers.

For green electricity, the majority of the financial support went to green electricity certificates. This system led to oversubsidization, especially for PV installations, however it was phased out – except for wind turbines. Support for green heat also experienced instability and initially failed to generate the desired competitiveness.

Response from the ministers

The Flemish Minister of Energy responded on September 15, 2025, that she endorses the Court of Audit's analysis and intends to implement the Court's recommendations as fully as possible.

Information for the press

The Court of Audit exerts an external control on the financial operations of the Federal State, the Communities, the Regions and the provinces. It contributes to improving public governance by transmitting to the parliamentary assemblies, to the managers and to the audited services any useful and reliable information resulting from a contradictory examination. As a collateral body of the Parliament, the Court performs its missions independently of the authorities it controls.

The report Renewable energy in Flanders: objectives, plans and implementation has been sent to the Flemish Parliament and to the House of Representatives. The full version and this press release can be found on the Court’s website.