Net metering explained
What the Dutch net metering scheme is, how feed-in is settled, and how to keep your bill low as the rules change.
Net metering means the power you feed back to the grid is offset against the power you draw from it. On balance you only pay for what you net from the grid.
What is net metering?
With solar panels you often generate more during the day than you use at that moment. The surplus goes to the grid. In the evening and in winter you draw power from your supplier instead. Net metering balances the two over the year.
Feed back as much as you draw and you pay almost nothing for that part. For the amount you draw beyond what you feed back, you pay your normal rate.
How the settlement works
Your supplier looks at the kilowatt-hours you feed back and the ones you draw. Up to the level of your own use, these are netted off. Feed back more than you use and you get a feed-in payment for the extra. That payment is usually lower than the price you pay for power.
So how much you gain depends on how much you use yourself while your panels are generating.
The scheme is changing: what does that mean?
Net metering will be adjusted over time. The principle stays the same, but the benefit of feeding back shrinks. We leave out exact percentages and dates on purpose, because they change. Check our blog for the current state or ask us.
What you can already do: use more of your own power directly. Running appliances during the day helps, and a home battery stores your surplus for the evening.
Net metering and a home battery
The less you gain from feeding back, the more it pays to use your power yourself. A home battery fills that gap: you charge during the day and use it once the sun is gone. Whether that pays off depends on your use and your tariff.
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