When you can prove that you generate green electricity, you will receive government support in the form of green energy certificates or combined heat and power certificates. These certificates or guarantees can be issued at the earliest when you have undergone both the AREI inspection and the additional inspection, either a green energy inspection or a combined heat and power inspection.

What you need to know

Combined heat and power (CHP) - Flanders

The government supports large and small high-quality cogeneration projects by issuing CHP certificates. Here as well, a separate CHP inspection is often required. Each CHP with an electrical or mechanical rated power exceeding 200kW requires an inspection report that must be issued by an accredited inspection body. If the power exceeds 1MW, then a periodic inspection is required every two years or in case of every change. This inspection consists of two components. On the one hand, there is the administrative component. Among other things, it is checked that all the decisions have been duly complied with, or the application file has been fully and correctly drawn up, all the calibration certificates are present, or that energy flows are being put to productive use. On the other hand, we have the inspection on the field at the CHP plant. In the course of the same, it is checked whether the file has also been correctly implemented in practice. It is checked whether the necessary measuring equipment is available, in order to determine the number of CHP certificates.

Green Power - Flanders

Large decentralised production units are subject to mandatory inspection by the regulatory authorities. These ""green energy inspections"" are required when the electrical or mechanical rated power exceeds 200kW. If the power of the plant exceeds 1MW, a periodic inspection is also required every two years or if any changes are made to the installation. During such inspections, Vinçotte checks whether the installation is entitled to green power certificates according to legal decisions. Vinçotte helps companies prepare the application file for the small as well as the largest plants. We help the customer find the best method that would enable the accurate and convenient measurement of all the energy flows into and out of the process. Finally, Vinçotte is also authorised as an independent testing organisation for conducting definitive green power inspections and checking whether the details in the application file are actually followed in practice.

Green Power - Offshore

Renewable energy producers with a concession in the North Sea may also apply for green power certificates. In this connection, Vinçotte also has accreditation for the preparation of the guarantee of origin certificate. Vinçotte has a team of inspectors who have undergone all the necessary training required to carry out inspections of the equipment at sea. The installations have to be inspected annually.

Grid decoupling

Decentralised production plants (solar panels, wind turbines, biogas plants, etc.) should be equipped with a decoupling protection. This relay controls the stability of the injected quantities in the grid and disconnects the renewable unit from the grid, as soon as the parameters of the grid are no longer met. In the context of setting up and testing disconnection protections imposed under the regulations Synergrid C10 / 11, Vinçotte has the necessary authorisation as well as the testing equipment to test the decoupling protections.

In any case, it is necessary to carry out an RGIE (Belgian General Regulations for Electrical Installations) inspection, independently of the aforementioned inspections.