149 families in Poperinge social housing ready for energy transition
In the coming years, 149 families in Poperinge will be able to enjoy the cheapest and greenest electricity for their social housing. Energy company EnergyVision, energy cooperative ASTER, and housing association Thuiswest are installing no less than 1,803 solar panels in the Bellewijk district to make this possible. Flemish Minister of Housing, Energy and Climate, Melissa Depraetere, even climbed onto the roof herself today to install a solar panel.
In the first phase, 149 homes will be equipped with 1,803 solar panels, generating an annual production of 662,000 kWh of green electricity and a CO2 reduction of 136.5 tons per year. Later, 58 additional social housing units will also be fitted with solar panels, bringing the total to 207 families in Poperinge, Watou, and Vleteren who will significantly reduce their electricity costs while contributing to a more sustainable Flanders.
Flemish Minister Melissa Depraetere responded enthusiastically:
“Investing in renewable energy is good for our planet and for people’s wallets. I’m very pleased that our housing associations are also making these sustainable and clean investments. We must encourage this on a large scale. It’s a win-win for the planet and a big boost to the purchasing power of social housing residents. Their energy bills go down — and that’s a great thing.”
Sustainability and social impact go hand in hand
By investing in solar panels, Thuiswest helps its tenants improve their energy efficiency. At the same time, this effort is part of the housing company’s broader renovation strategy, which aims to bring its building portfolio to an EPC A-score (<100 kWh/m²/year), contributing to climate goals by 2050.
EnergyVision, the executing partner of the project, also emphasizes the importance of renewable energy for everyone, regardless of social background.
“Renewable energy must be accessible and affordable for all. That’s why we’re proud that these 150 families – the first social tenants in Poperinge – can now enjoy the cheapest green electricity. This will help them save significantly on their energy bills.” – Maarten Michielssens, CEO of EnergyVision
Towards 395,000 solar panels on social housing in Flanders
The project in Poperinge is part of a large-scale rollout of solar panels on social housing across Flanders, coordinated by ASTER. The organization was founded four years ago by Flemish housing companies with the ambition to install 395,000 solar panels on social homes, representing around 150 MWp of renewable energy. This initiative supports both energy affordability for tenants and the climate ambitions of Flanders.
