The Future of the Belgian Energy Landscape: Experts Discuss the Energy Crisis and Rising Prices

LiviosIs the energy crisis over or will energy prices rise again this autumn? We don’t have a crystal ball. But we can counter this problem through new technologies, different energy rates and the tax shift. This is what Vincent Vancaeyzeele from Techlink, Sam Hamels from Ghent University, Luc De Smet from Daikin and Tom Defruyt from Eneco say. Bouwsite Livios explains how they see the future of the Belgian energy landscape.

Following the national heating survey*, which iVox carried out on behalf of Daikin, four experts weighed in on the results.

“We are in the middle of the energy transition and the research shows that 6 in 10 Belgians think that the transition to renewable energy will even accelerate. And that is a good signal, especially when the research shows that 1 in 2 Belgians can heat their home with a heat pump. And for this they do not have to carry out major works. Unfortunately, most are not aware of this,” says Luc De Smet of Daikin. View more results from the national heating survey here.

Although there is a simple way to find out whether your home is ready for a heat pump. Tom Defruyt from Eneco: “With the ’50 degree test’ you can check whether you can heat at a low temperature with your current heating system. Most boilers heat at 70° or 80°. If you set the temperature of your boiler to 50° for a month and it is pleasantly warm in your house, then you can perfectly switch to a heat pump.” The heat pump appears to be especially feasible for those who use a gas boiler, to a lesser extent for oil heating, but especially for those who heat electrically.

Can you save with a heat pump? We go over the different types and their price tag.

Cheaper heating through tax shift

“A heat pump currently costs no more than a fossil system,” says Vincent Vancaeyzeele of Techlink. “Despite the high taxes on electricity in Belgium.”

That’s where the problem comes in, according to Defruyt. “For a good payback period for the heat pump, electricity and gas prices must be in proportion, which is currently not the case. Electricity is four to five times more expensive than gas. This pricing does not encourage people to switch to sustainable heat. In our neighboring countries we see that the transition is happening faster. “There is therefore an urgent need to work on a tax shift.”

“The figures show that the houses are ready. Belgians are prepared to make profitable investments, but the government is still on the brakes. Let’s reduce or shift electricity taxes to accelerate the energy transition. The tax shift must therefore be introduced. But if we want the big shift, we must move towards a ban on the gas boiler. Where, just like in Germany and the Netherlands, a gas boiler may no longer be replaced by a new one during renovations.”

Will there also be a ban on gas boilers in Belgium? These are the expectations.

People who know how much they consume are often more conscious about their consumption. The digital meter already helps many Belgians with this. © ThinkStock

Responding to electricity prices

“We are at a pivotal moment in Belgium,” says Sam Hamels of Ghent University. “If we want to be ready for 2050, change must start now. Electricity prices must be reduced, so that it becomes more attractive to heat more sustainably.”

According to Hamels, it is best to respond to electricity prices on an hourly basis. “In any case, more wind turbines and solar panels will be added in the next five years. So you get very cheap electricity at certain times.” “That’s right,” Defruyt adds. “There will be negative prices at certain times of the day. So you may then be paid for consumption.”

Would you also like to install solar panels? Be there on time, because the premium system will soon be stopped.

Fluctuating hourly prices

Yet many people are still shielded from these price fluctuations. “Most Belgians have a fixed electricity contract and therefore do not notice these hourly fluctuations. While there are opportunities there, especially if you have a heat pump with smart control. Without having to do anything, the house and the sanitary hot water are heated during the cheapest hours with the most wind and sun. This way you heat cheaper and greener. An additional saving that does not require any additional investment,” explains Hamels from Ghent University.

Domestic hot water: these are four sustainable solutions.

Dynamic rates

But dynamic rates can also be interesting. “You do not pay an average electricity price, but a price that can differ every hour. If you manage to use your energy mainly when prices are low, such as between midnight and 6 a.m. or in the afternoon, you can save with this rate. If you can manage your consumption smartly, this could well become the tariff formula of the future,” says Defruyt.

Better monitor energy consumption

People who know how much they consume are often more conscious about their consumption. The digital meter already helps many Belgians with this. The research shows that a large proportion of respondents are not aware of their energy consumption.

New technologies therefore play an important role in being ready for 2050. Nearly 70 percent of those interviewed think that this will allow better monitoring of energy consumption. This in turn allows the generation of energy to be better coordinated. Half think that in the future we will store energy at home to absorb overproduction. And just over a quarter believe that everyone will have an electric home battery within 10 years.

Want to make your home more sustainable? The prices and premiums of the most popular energetic interventions at a glance.