The North Sea is famous as one of Europe’s top crude production sites, with the UK and Norway accounting for about 80% of the region’s output. Unfortunately, the North Sea has already entered a phase of terminal decline. Last year, the oil basin produced 34 m tonnes of oil, its …
Read More »Belgium Mulls 2 GW Nuclear Extension to 2027
The Belgian government is considering extending the lifetimes of three nuclear reactors (1.9 GW) by two years to 2027 to avoid winter power supply crunches, an energy ministry spokeswoman told Montel on Monday. The government had asked operator Engie to carry out a review with the Belgian nuclear safety authority …
Read More »Belgium Largest Energy Supplier to EU Neighbours in 2022
Belgium played a key role in supplying energy to its main neighbours in 2022, as it was France’s largest electricity supplier and Germany’s main transit country for natural gas. “Belgium helped France and Germany overcame their energy difficulties in 2022. We can show solidarity with our neighbours thanks to our …
Read More »Largest Power Storage Plant in Continental Europe Opens in Belgium
The white containers on the edge of a small Belgian town form the largest electricity storage plant in continental Europe, capable of meeting peak demand in the country without the need for gas or fuel oil. “Until now, the capacity to produce quickly was largely provided by oil or gas-fired …
Read More »Belgium Calls for a Natural Gas Price Cap to Avoid Deindustrialization
The European Union needs to quickly intervene in its gas and energy markets, including by imposing a price cap on wholesale gas, to avoid a spiral of deindustrialization and social unrest amid sky-high energy prices, Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told the Financial Times in comments published on Thursday. …
Read More »Belgium to Shut Nuclear Reactor on Friday amid Energy Crunch
Belgium announced on Friday that its Doel 3 nuclear reactor will disconnect from the grid and cease operations, even as the country fears blackouts this winter. It is one of four reactors at the Doel plant near the port of Antwerp, and is the first nuclear reactor to shut down …
Read More »Belgium Postpones Phase-Out by 10 Years due to Ukraine War
Belgium has decided to postpone its nuclear phase-out scheduled for 2025 by 10 years, worried about soaring energy prices due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The federal government has decided to take the necessary measures to extend the life of the two most recent nuclear reactors by 10 years,” …
Read More »Belgium to Shut all Current Nuclear Reactors by 2025
Belgium has announced it will close its current nuclear power plants in the next four years. Progressively phasing out nuclear power has been enshrined in Belgian law for almost two decades. But on Thursday, following talks among coalition ministers, the government confirmed seven nuclear reactors at two plants, which generate …
Read More »Another EU Country Joining Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production Market
Energy companies Engie and Equinor have announced the H2BE project which aims to develop production of low-carbon hydrogen from natural gas in Belgium. The Belgian federal government released its Hydrogen Strategy in late October and the H2BE project will help Belgium deliver on the strategy. The project aims at producing …
Read More »Belgian Offshore Wind Energy Breaks Record
The month saw record production of 803GWh thanks to exceptionally favourable wind conditions and winter storms Ciara and Dennis.
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