[euromodder]

Solar energy was highly subsidized - and thus highly profitable - in Belgium.

To the point of 1 kWh bringing in 2.5 times the cost of a regular kWh - for the next 20 years !
In addition, the people who installed them, could also use up the generated energy, raising the benefit to 3.5 times the cost of a kWh !
For companies, it was the signal to start building huge solar farms, and greenwash themselves, while cashing in big time.

Add tax deductions for private installations, and you ended up with a highly profitable situation ... paid for by anyone else.

The tax deductions mean less state income.
The green certificates for solar energy are paid for by the electricity distribution company, who promptly pass on the cost to their (non-PV owning) private customers.

We pay more for energy-related taxes than for the energy itself.

The subsidies for PV are now coming down fast though, as it was becoming wildly expensive - and highly opposed.