Anyone who resides in Brussels and owns solar panels receives green certificates. You can sell these in order to recoup some of the costs of your investment.
To energy suppliers
In order to achieve their minimum quota of green electricity in Brussels, energy suppliers sometimes need to purchase green certificates on the market. Otherwise, they will have to pay a penalty of €100 per missing green certificate.
For 2026, this quota has been set at 22.7%. Energy suppliers in Brussels are obliged to buy green certificates from Brussels first of all, before they are allowed to buy them in other regions of the country.
It's important to note that some suppliers offer more favourable prices to their own customers.
To intermediaries
Intermediaries are agents who group green certificates from small, environmentally friendly producers and negotiate with energy suppliers in order to sell them. Some companies that install solar panels offer this service to their customers.
Compare their quotations carefully, as the terms and conditions of purchase can be very different. Some intermediaries take a commission on the sale, whilst others buy the green certificates at a price somewhat lower than the market value.
A useful list
Click here to view a list of energy suppliers and intermediaries that buy green certificates in Brussels.
To Elia
According to the current regulations, you can also sell your green certificates to Elia (the transmission network operator for electricity) in return for a guaranteed minimum price of €65.
Generally speaking, that price is less attractive than the average prices offered by suppliers and intermediaries.
Use this link for more information about the purchase procedure at a guaranteed minimum price.
At what price?
On average, the market price is around €81 per certificate. For more information, take a look at the graph showing the average prices (€/GC) per year.
The number of green certificates you receive will vary for each type of installation, depending on the source, the power and the date on which your installation enters service.
Green certificates remain valid for 5 years. That is also how much time you will have to sell your certificates and possibly benefit from their increase in value on the market.
The Brussels-Capital Region guarantees that the current mechanism underlying the green certificates will apply for a period of 10 years from the date your installation enters into service.
What situation applies in Flanders and Wallonia?
In 2026, Brussels is still the only region that grants green certificates to private individuals for their solar panels. (Note: Since 1 April 2026, new installations in excess of 36 kWp are no longer eligible for green certificates).
In Flanders and Wallonia, the cost effectiveness of solar installations will now depend on the amount of electricity you consume yourself and on the surplus you sell back to your energy supplier. In some cases, the three regions support the initial investment by providing loans at a low interest rate.