Belgium targets fossil fuel heating phase-out by 2050

Belgium is working toward a goal of climate neutrality by 2050, which requires phasing out fossil fuel heating in approximately three million households. To meet this target, an estimated 120,000 homes must transition annually, or roughly 60 homes per working hour. Solutions include heat pumps and district heating networks.

In Flanders, the grid operator Fluvius has been tasked by the regional government to prepare for the gradual decommissioning of the gas network. This process will involve long-term planning with ten-year horizons to determine which neighborhoods will transition and when.

Economic shifts are expected to support this transition. Policy changes at the Flemish and federal levels, along with the European Union’s ETS2 carbon pricing system, are designed to make fossil fuels more expensive while reducing electricity levies. By 2028 and 2029, gas heating is projected to become significantly more costly for average households, while electricity costs are expected to decrease to encourage a shift toward electrification.