The Flemish government has decided to end subsidies for home batteries earlier than initially planned. People who get their appliance inspected after 31 March 2023 will no longer qualify for a grant. The cash released in this way will be used to pay for higher grants for heat pump boilers used to provide hot water. The grant rises from 450 to 900 euros.
Home batteries allow people to store excess energy generated via solar panels. Higher energy prices and changes to the compensation granted for excess energy mean home batteries are increasingly popular.
Last year 19,000 grants were awarded for home batteries compared to only 337 in 2020. So far this year 20,000 applications for grants have been made. In all 30,000 applications are expected costing 45 million euros.
A 1,725-euro grant is currently available for people installing a home battery. This is being cut to 850 euros next year. The grant disappears entirely after March 2023.
Flemish energy minister Demir (nationalist) argues the grants are no longer needed as an incentive and give the wrong impression that it’s a good idea for everybody to install a home battery.
Heat pump boilers take heat from the air to heat water and cost 3,500 euros on average. Minister Demir says heat pump boilers are better than electric boilers used to provide hot water. “We can no longer allow energy-guzzling electric boilers to be used. Heat pump boilers should be standard. In this way we can drastically cut electricity use”.