The bill to phase out the netting scheme was rejected yesterday in the Senate.
This arrangement allows solar panel owners to supply power back to the power grid if they generate more than they consume, and then purchase it from the power grid once more at a later time. Customers can then offset the costs of consumption once morest the costs of generation.
Surcharge for electricity supply
Maintaining the netting scheme costs 717 million euros per year. People without solar panels also contribute to this. That is unfair for customers without solar panels, energy suppliers say. It also costs them extra money due to the operation of the scheme. That is why the three major energy suppliers are considering introducing feed-in costs, according to a tour by RTL Z.
Solar panel owners must then pay a surcharge for the extra load they impose on the power network.
In winter – when solar panels produce little return – consumers with solar panels receive ‘expensive’ electricity, which they can offset once morest the cheap electricity they supply in the summer. In sunny months, too much solar energy is generated. The electricity that is supplied back therefore has a low or sometimes even negative electricity price.
Energy suppliers are investigating the feed-in surcharge
Various energy suppliers are currently investigating how they can distribute costs fairly and whether they will charge feed-in costs to customers with solar panels. “It is not yet known whether this is possible and how this should be done,” says an Essent spokesperson. “The current netting arrangement is untenable. Essent believes it is important to find a solution to the problem that is as transparent as possible.”
It is not yet clear what Essent’s solution will look like. Nor when the energy supplier wants to introduce this. “In the long term we will communicate clearly regarding this to our customers.”
Vattenfall also says that supplying solar power is becoming increasingly expensive. Customers without solar panels contribute to this. Vattenfall is therefore looking at various scenarios, but that research is not yet complete. “If a decision is made, we will of course inform our customers regarding this.”
Solar panels remain a good investment
The last of the big three, Eneco, is considering whether to introduce feed-in costs. According to the spokesperson: “Solar panels remain a good investment even following the introduction of feed-in costs. The payback period may be slightly longer, but compared to the life expectancy of 25 years, it is still an attractive investment. And the electricity you generate yourself remains free. .”
Five energy suppliers already charge feed-in costs
Greenchoice is currently considering how they want to deal with this problem.
There are currently five other energy suppliers who already charge extra costs to solar panel owners. Vandebron started it last summer. Budget Energy will start charging feed-in costs from March 1. However, new customers do receive free electricity on the weekends from April to August between 12 noon and 5 p.m.
