Solar energy production reaches record high

More than 2,000 megawatts of solar power was produced yesterday around noon in Belgium, a new peak in the country’s solar energy output. 2,000 megawatts, the equivalent of the amount of energy produced by two large nuclear power plants, accounts for over 20 percent of the electricity needed to meet demand at that moment, reports energy company Eneco in a press release.

Alex Polfliet, president of solar association PV-Vlaanderen, confirms the record: "That does not surprise me,” he said, “with the beautiful weather of late, and the increasing number of installations."

"Solar energy is already making a significant contribution to our energy supply," said Christophe Degrez, CEO of Eneco Belgium. "We can only encourage this positive trend."

In Belgium, Eneco has nearly 75,000 solar panels, or about 6 percent of all solar installations in the country. All of the Eneco plants together provide 176 megawatts of power at moments of peak demand.