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 energy supplier looks at feed-in and draw on your annual statement. 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.
How much you gain depends on how much you use while your panels generate. A smart meter (P1 port) records draw and feed-in separately. ACM sets rules for suppliers on feed-in payments and any feed-in charges.
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, and some suppliers now charge feed-in costs for households with solar panels. 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. RVO covers subsidies for storage and home improvements, separate from the net metering scheme itself.
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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