Polluting fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are increasingly giving way to renewable energies such as solar, hydro and wind power. Belgium is jumping on the bandwagon of the 'green power plant of Europe' in the North Sea.
Energy prices have reached unprecedented highs and that doesn't seem about to change anytime soon. There is also an urgent need to reduce our dependence on countries like Russia, while continuing to guarantee supplies. Now more than ever, therefore, the large-scale production of cheap, CO₂ emission-free alternative energy is a goal that must be achieved.
Belgium is aiming to create a vast network of offshore wind farms together with Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. The modest 15 gigawatts (GW) of capacity that the four countries have accumulated over the past 30 years must be significantly increased to 65 GW in 2030 and 150 GW in 2050. In other words, ten times the current capacity or the equivalent of 75 large nuclear reactors and enough to provide electricity to as many as 150 million families. Incidentally, according to the EU, double that is required for climate neutrality.
The respective heads of government recently signed the agreement to transform the North Sea into a wind power plant, in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Esbjerg, Denmark.
It is clear that as a partner in this large-scale project, Belgium, with its coastline of less than 70 km, has enormous potential.
And as they say in Belgium, unity is strength!
