2023-08-07 05:02:00
Citizens and businesses have installed twice as many solar panels as in 2021: no less than 100,000 installations have been added to the existing stock. But of the 887 buildings and roofs managed by the Buildings Agency, only three buildings have benefited from such installations, Het Nieuwsblad and De Standaard reported on Monday.
In all, only 37 federally run rooftops have solar panels, or just 4%. Large projects are however planned, such as the installation of photovoltaic modules on the roofs of the federal parliament, the Royal Palace of Laeken, the Cinquantenaire, museums or certain prisons. Even though this will only bring the proportion of the Régie’s buildings powered by solar energy to 8%.
According to the Flemish Green MP Kim Buyst, the process is far too slow and the Secretary of State in charge, Mathieu Michel (MR), must show more ambition. “If the government benefits from more renewable energy, then the bill for society goes down and millions can be saved”, she underlines.
Mathieu Michel remains laconic in the face of criticism. “Caring about the climate goes beyond just installing solar panels,” he replies. The Liberal points out that he has already reduced the area dedicated to offices by one million square meters. “And this generates a saving of 30,000 tonnes of CO2. We are therefore aiming for a total strategy”, he argues.
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