Wallonia: Subsidy (Aide à l'investissement)
Updated: 08.02.2019
Author: Stijn Anciaux
Within the bounds of its available budget, the Walloon Region provides investment assistance for companies that initiate projects aimed at developing the sustainable use of energy, including investments in renewable energy plants.
Eligible technologies
Eligible are only investments in tangible and intangible assets. As far as renewable energy plants are concerned, equipment for biogas and biomass CHP plants, biomass heating plants as well as solar thermal installations are eligible.
| Biogas | All devices for the production of heat and electricity through biogas CHP plants with an electrical power less than 10 kW are eligible (Art.9 §2 Arrêté du 2 décembre 2004). Some equipment is however subjected to acceptance of the Walloon Energy and Economy Administrations (Administrations de l´Energie et de l´Economie). For an exhaustive description please refer to the interpretative circular of 29 September 2006 (Circulaire du 29 septembre 2006). |
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| Biomass | All devices needed for heat production through biomass heating plants as well for heat and electricity production through biomass CHP plants are eligible, except for the following investments (Art.9 §2 Arrêté du 2 décembre 2004):
Some equipment is however subjected to acceptance of the Walloon Energy and Economy Administrations (Administrations de l´Energie et de l´Economie). For an exhaustive description please refer to the interpretative circular of 29 September 2006 (Circulaire du 29 septembre 2006). |
| Solar thermal energy | Following investments are eligible (Circulaire du 29 septembre 2006):
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| Geothermal energy | Eligible |
| Hydrothermal energy | Eligible |
| Aerothermal energy | Eligible |
Amount
The investment costs eligible for the investment assistance shall amount to at least € 25,000 (Art. 7 §3 Arrêté du 2 décembre 2004). The subsidy is calculated on the basis of the additional costs borne by companies compared with the costs of conventional energy production plants with the same capacity. The amount of subsidy differs according to the company
- For small and medium companies: maximal 50 % of the investment costs can be supported. Moreover, the total amount of the subsidy cannot exceed € 1.5 million over 4 years (Art.9 §2, Arrêté du 2 décembre 2004).
- For large companies: maximal 20 % of the investment costs can be supported. However, if the company is located within a development zone, the amount can be increased by 5 % or 10 % according to the province (Art.9 §2 and §4, Arrêté du 2 décembre 2004).
Addressees
The entitled companies can be natural persons (shopkeepers, liberal professions), commercial companies as well as agricultural companies (Art. 4, Décret du 11 mars 2004).
Procedure
Process flow | A preliminary form shall be submitted before the beginning of the investments. The beginning of the investments corresponds to the date of the first invoice. After the administration has acknowledged receipt of the preliminary form, the company shall submit its application within the following 6 months. |
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Competent authority | Public Service of Wallonia - Department of Energy and Sustainable Building (DG04). |
Flexibility mechanism
The investment assistance of the Walloon region can only be granted to companies having at least one operation office located in the Walloon region, and whose investment project is planned within the Walloon region (Art. 6, Décret du 11 mars 2004).
Distribution of costs
| State | The energy subsidies are directly financed by the budget of the Walloon region. |
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