Storm Dennis, which battered Belgium on Sunday, has driven up wind electricity generation in the country.
At least 30% of Sunday's electricity supply mix was produced by the wind, which is double the usual amount, according to the high voltage network operator Elia.
According to the Belgian Offshore Platform, which brings together the owners of wind farms in the North Sea (Belgian waters), more than half of the electricity generated by wind power was produced by wind motors installed in the sea.
The share of wind-generated electricity had already risen to represent a quarter of the energy mix when Ciara swept across the country on 9 February. Some strong gusts even caused certain turbines to stop temporarily.
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Wind power has been taking off in Europe for some time. In 2019, the quantity generated in Belgium reached the 8 terawatt-hour (TWh) mark, an all-time record exceeding last year's 6.3 TWh by far.
In Europe, new wind turbines with a generating capacity of 15.4 gigawatts (GW) have been built, WindEurope announced on Monday. The number of units has grown particularly in Great Britain and Spain. Long-time pioneer Germany is currently lagging behind when it comes to further installations.
The Brussels Times
