The European Commission has given the green light for Belgium's €682 million state aid initiative, which is aimed at boosting renewable offshore wind energy production. The aid will fund the construction and operation of a wind farm in the North Sea, with a planned capacity of 700 MW. This project is expected to generate at least 2.6 terawatt-hours of renewable energy each year.
This approval is a key step towards helping the European Union meet its target of sourcing 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. However, the transition faces delays due to slow permitting processes and the need for upgrades to power networks, posing challenges to accelerating green energy projects.
The wind energy industry has raised concerns over the backlog in project permits, which may hinder the region's shift to renewable energy.
