Wind energy could provide 20% of Belgium's electricity by 2030

In 15 years, Belgium's wind turbines – both on land and at sea – could provide for 20% of the country's electricity consumption, compared with just 5% today, according to new predictions by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

At the end of 2014, Belgium produced 2,000 MW of wind power capacity, including onshore wind turbines (1,247 MW) and offshore (713 MW). By 2020, the EWEA expects this amount to increase to 3,000 MW on land and 1,500 at sea. And by 2030, according to EWEA, Belgium should be producing 7,800 MW of wind energy: 4,000 MW onshore and 3,800 MW at sea, or one-fifth of the country's electricity needs.

The EWEA also calculates that by 2030 wind energy could account for a quarter of the electricity consumed in the European Union.

According to the Organisation for Sustainable Energy (ODE), the sector has the potential to create between 50,000 and 60,000 direct and indirect jobs in Belgium by 2030.