The Flemish Wind Energy Association (VWEA), Federation of Renown Energies (EDORA) and Belgian Offshore Platform (BOP) are celebrating Global Wind Day together with their members on 15 June 2024. In doing so, they are drawing extra attention to the importance and potential of wind energy.

Wind energy should rightly be celebrated, as the benefits of wind energy are very clear:

• Wind energy is essential for the climate: wind energy significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps combat climate change.
• Wind energy is crucial for the EU’s energy independence: by increasing wind energy production, we reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels.
• Wind energy is vital for the continuity of energy supply.
• Wind energy creates jobs.

The CREG monitoring report clearly shows that the share of wind energy in our country is increasing year after year, to 14.1 TWh in 2023 (CREG Study (F)2747 – 23 May 2024). Total electricity production in Belgium was 77.8 TWh last year. Wind energy therefore provided more than 18% of the energy produced, or the equivalent of the annual consumption of more than 4 million Belgian households. “This evolution must and will continue in the coming years”, emphasizes the wind sector. This is also necessary to achieve the European Commission’s objective. It wants wind energy to supply half of Europe’s electricity by 2050.

The ambitions and objectives are clear. In order to achieve this in 2030, 400 MW of wind energy would have to be built annually in Belgium. “The sector is asking the new governments for a clear and stable flanking policy with sufficient investment security to effectively achieve these objectives”. According to Europe, wind energy is of overriding public interest, and should therefore be treated as such by the Member States.

In their memoranda and vision statements, Edora, VWEA and BOP clarify what further concrete steps need to be taken to optimally utilize the potential of wind energy in our country and our regions. In order to contribute to economic recovery, create thousands of new jobs, prevent future uncontrolled price increases and at the same time increase our security of supply, the wind associations call on current and future policymakers to be ambitious and fully utilize this potential for wind energy.

You can find more information about our sector and wind energy in general on our websites:

• Flemish Wind Energy Association – Vlaamse Windenergie Associatie VWEA
• Belgian Offshore Platform
• Federation of Renown Energies – Fédération des énergies renouvelables – Edora

Contact:

• Maarten Dedeyne, Directeur VWEA – 0499 29 01 57
• Fawaz Al-Bitar, Directeur Général d’EDORA – 0496 12 22 31
• Bérénice Crabs, Secretary General BOP – 0479 65 92 96