Solar energy production in Belgium rose 21 per cent this year, reaching a record high. As a result, the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix is now virtually equal to that of nuclear energy, according to figures from Elia, the high-voltage grid operator.
Climate & Environment
Solar energy production up 21 per cent this year, reaches record high.
Colin Clapson
Published:
High-voltage grid operator Elia published its annual review today. The figures are based on data up to and including Monday 22 December, supplemented by an estimate for the last nine days of the year.
They show that solar energy production will have increased by about a fifth in 2025. Elia expects total annual production to reach a record high of 10.1 terawatt hours. An absolute monthly record of 1,370 gigawatt hours was recorded in June. Elia attributes the high figures to the expansion of installed capacity (+10 per cent), combined with an exceptionally sunny year.
Weather conditions were less favourable for wind energy. Despite the increase in capacity, production remained stuck at 12.3 terawatt hours (-2 per cent).
Nuclear energy remains only slightly more important
The production of all renewable energy sources combined reached a record figure of 22.4 terawatt hours (+7 per cent), accounting for 34 per cent of Belgium’s energy mix. According to Elia, it is also becoming increasingly common for half of Belgium's consumption to be covered by renewable energy sources. In 2025, this was the case more than 16.2 per cent of the time.
Nuclear energy remains slightly more important, with a production of 22.5 terawatt hours (-24 per cent) and 34 per cent share. The sharp decline is a result of the closure of three nuclear reactors (Doel 1 on 15 February, Tihange 1 on 1 October and Doel 2 on 1 December).
Total electricity consumption more or less stable
Elia also reports that Belgium imported more electricity than it exported for the third year in a row. The difference is 14-terawatt hours. Imports come from France and the Netherlands (both 10 terawatt hours), while Belgium exports electricity to Germany, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg. The total volume of international electricity exchanges between Belgium and its neighbouring countries amounts to 42 terawatt hours.
Finally, it appears that total electricity consumption in Belgium has remained more or less stable at 80.1 terawatt hours (-1 per cent). A sharp increase in consumption is expected in the coming years due to the electrification of society at large.
The final figures for 2025 are expected in the first quarter of 2026.