Retrial for Barco wind turbine permit

After more than 12 months, the Council for Permit Disputes has annulled the permit for a 4.5MW wind turbine in an industrial area at the Barco site in Kortrijk that Minister Demir had issued. The Council ordered the Flemish Government to take a new decision on the permit application.

The Council ruled that the Flemish Government should have examined the license application more thoroughly and provided better reasons for the license decision. 

Barco obviously regrets the ruling of the Council for Permit Disputes, but sees a retrial as feasible. 

First, the Council did not substitute itself for the Flemish Government by refusing the permit application ex officio. Furthermore, the Council identifies a number of imperfections regarding the spatial fit into the buffer zone of the industrial area, and by extension, the wider surroundings, which the Flemish Government can remedy. Furthermore, the Council notes a number of imperfections regarding the spatial fit into the buffer zone of the industrial area, and by extension, the wider environment, which the Flemish Government can remedy. The Council notes that the permit was taken on the basis of a circular of 2014 (bundling of wind turbines), which was replaced by a new circular of 2023 that gives priority to energy maximization. Barco is therefore hopeful that, subject to additional clarifications and further investigation, the Flemish government can deliver a new permit that refutes the Council's criticism.

"The first feeling is disappointment. But as this is a strong dossier, and our ambition to fully commit to renewable energy is undiminished, we will continue to work on our permit application. We will therefore enter into discussions with the licensing authority to further substantiate the application," says project leader Kurt Verheggen.

About Barco

Barco, headquartered in Kortrijk (Belgium), is a global company leading in visualization, networking, and collaboration technology. Its innovative solutions drive advancements in the healthcare, enterprise, and entertainment markets. At the heart of Barco’s success are over 3,000 dedicated ‘visioneers’, each passionately contributing to driving change through technology.

Listed on Euronext (BAR), Reuters (BARBt.BR), and Bloomberg (BAR BB), Barco realized sales of 1,050 million euro in 2023.

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