According to an energy expert, Belgium banned “parallel grids”. WTF is a parallel grid?: Any power source that does not feed the grid is defined as a “parallel grid”. So you cannot install solar panels or a generator that does not connect to the grid. You cannot unplug from the grid and install batteries.
He said that policy was in force 5 years ago and did not know if that policy is still in place today.
I find it disgusting that such a policy existed for even 1 day. It means you cannot live independant from the grid. You are forced to patronise the energy supplier. At the same time, the injection rate they pay you for feeding the grid is ~⅒ the rate you pay for consumption.
What about vacation homes? There are rural zones in Belgium where homes are designated as unsuitable for living, which you cannot legally register as your domicile. They are intended as 2nd homes for recreation. Some of such homes may not have water, sewer, and power. Of course some offgrid power would be quite useful.
Can anyone cite the law on this, if it’s still in effect?
The electricity bill is a hidden tax. Only a third of it is related to power generation. That’s why they made it illegal.
AFAIK you shouldn’t worry about it. Haven’t seen any enforcement of that law ever, if it even still exists.
I have, but in an industrial context. The mayor forcing us to use the fluvius grid, so the local government can get more revenue.
The alternative, local power production, would’ve cost one 3rd the price.
Additionally, I hate this legal system: having so many stupid laws that you can’t live a life without breaking dozens at any given moment.
Coupled with selective enforcement it basically means anyone can be arrested at any time, when the executive feels like it.
Enforcement is indeed a separate matter. First of all, you can forget about getting subsidies or any perks for installing solar. When the inspect, they will not give a pass if the installation breaks the law. Perhaps you can hide the batteries.
Enforcement is tricky because of grandfathering. If your parallel grid pre-dates the law, there is likely no requirement to remove it. Certainly that is the case with the mechanical meters. If you fed the grid from solar and you have a mechanical meter, the injection paid a 1-to-1 ratio because there is no way to know how much was injected. That setup was legit up until a couple years ago.
Now it is illegal to install solar and inject into the grid if you have a mechanical meter. Yet (IIUC) simultaneously illegal to feed batteries. So if you have a mechanical meter, the only way to comply is to wait for a digital meter, then inject into the grid.
If they show up to replace your mechanical meter w/digital and they see you have solar, they may just assume everyone is grandfathered. But if it’s a parallel grid they will see it as cheating Sibelga out of energy/money.
The injection rate is so lousy that it actually makes sense for neighbors to sell energy to each other. If they see that going on, do you really think they will do nothing? Perhaps… but then what happens when a neighbor complains to the commune that you have a generator making noise? They will be compelled to act on the noise complaint.