From dynamic rates to tax shifting and gas boiler bans: this must change to complete the energy transition by 2050 | My guide

Following the national heating survey*, conducted by iVox on behalf of Daikin, four experts evaluated the results.

“We are in the middle of an energy transition and research shows that 6 in 10 Belgians believe that the transition to renewable energy will accelerate. This is a good sign, especially when research shows that 1 in 2 Belgians can heat their homes with a heat pump. That’s why they don’t have to do major work.” “Unfortunately, most of them don’t realize this,” says Luc De Smet of Daikin. View more National Heating Survey results here.

Although there is a simple way to know if your home is ready for a heat pump. Tom DeFruit from Eneco: “With the ’50 degree test’ you can check if you can heat at a lower temperature with your existing heating system. Most boilers heat at 70 degrees or 80 degrees. If you set the temperature of your central heating boiler at 50 degrees for a month and it’s warm in your house, you could ideally switch to a heat pump.A heat pump seems particularly feasible for those using a gas boiler, less so for oil heating, but particularly for those who heat electrically.

Can you save with a heat pump? We review the different types and their prices.

“A heat pump currently costs no more than a fossil system,” says Techlink’s Vincent Vankeisel. “Despite the high taxes on electricity in Belgium”

And therein lies the problem, according to Devruyt. “To have a good payback period for a heat pump, electricity and gas prices need to be proportional, which is not the case currently. Electricity is four to five times more expensive than gas. This pricing discourages people from switching to sustainable heat. In our neighboring countries we see the shift “It’s happening faster. “So there’s an urgent need to work on tax transformation.”

“The numbers show that the homes are ready. The Belgians are ready to make profitable investments, but the government is still not working. Let us reduce or change electricity taxes to accelerate the energy transition. Therefore, a tax shift must be introduced. But if we want the big shift, we have to move towards banning gas boilers.” Where, as in Germany and the Netherlands, it is no longer possible to replace the gas boiler with a new one during renovations.

Will there also be a ban on gas boilers in Belgium? These are the expectations.

“We are at a pivotal moment in Belgium,” says Sam Hamels of Ghent University. “If we want to be ready for 2050, change must start now. Electricity prices must be reduced, so that they become more attractive for more sustainable heating.

According to Hamels, it is best to respond to electricity prices on an hourly basis. “Anyway, more wind turbines and solar panels will be added in the next five years. So you get very cheap electricity at certain times. That’s true,” DeFruit adds. “There will be negative prices at certain times of the day. So you may be paid for consumption.

Would you also like to install solar panels? Be there on time, because the premium system will be shut down soon.

However, many people are still protected from these price fluctuations. “Most Belgians have a fixed electricity contract and therefore do not notice these fluctuations in the hour. While there are opportunities, especially if you have a heat pump with smart control. Without you having to do anything, the house is heated and sanitary hot water is done during the cheapest hours with The wind and the sun blow. This way you can heat cheaper and greener. “Additional savings do not require any additional investment,” explains Hummels from Ghent University.

Domestic hot water: These are four sustainable solutions.

But dynamic rates can be interesting too. “You’re not paying the average price for electricity, but a price that can vary by the hour. If you can use your energy mainly when rates are low, such as between midnight and 6 a.m. or in the afternoon, you can save at that rate.” “If you can manage your consumption intelligently, this could be the tariff formula of the future,” says DeFruit.

People who know how much they consume are often more conscious about their consumption. The digital scale already helps many Belgians with this. The research shows that a large percentage of participants do not know their energy consumption.

New technologies therefore play an important role in preparing for 2050. Nearly 70% of those interviewed believe that this will allow energy consumption to be better monitored. This in turn allows for better coordination of power generation. Half believe we will store energy at home in the future to accommodate excess production. Just over a quarter believe everyone will have an electric home battery within 10 years.

Read more on Livios.be:

Electric fire or central heating: This has the least impact on your energy bill

Does your heat pump make a lot of noise? An expert debunks six myths

Turn off the heating to lower your energy bill? Please note: “Cold temperatures encourage humidity.”

*The National Heating Survey is an online survey conducted by the research agency iVox on behalf of Daikin between 20 July and 4 August 2023 among 1,000 Belgian homeowners aged 25 to 75 years, represented by region, gender, age and diploma. The maximum margin of error for 1,000 Belgian homeowners is 3.02%.