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Dutch solar net metering ends in 2027: how to compare the numbers
The Dutch net-metering scheme ends on 1 January 2027. From that date, exported solar electricity can no longer offset later grid consumption, so direct self-consumption, imports, exports and contract charges need to be calculated separately.
The Dutch salderingsregeling ends on 1 January 2027. That does not make exported solar electricity worthless, but it changes the calculation: electricity used directly in the home, electricity imported later and electricity exported to the grid must be valued separately.
Checked against official primary sources
Verbatim excerpts from official sources
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“Artikel 2.31 vervalt.” Open official source “De actieve afnemer ontvangt voor de teruggeleverde elektriciteit een redelijke vergoeding” Open official source “een actieve afnemer met een kleine aansluiting” Open official source “Energieleveranciers rekenen vaak ook kosten voor het terugleveren van stroom.” Open official source Independent summary; 4g3n7 is not affiliated with or endorsed by government.
What changes on 1 January 2027
Through 31 December 2026, households and small businesses can offset eligible electricity supplied to the grid against electricity taken from the grid on an annual basis. From 1 January 2027, exported electricity can no longer be netted against later consumption under the salderingsregeling.
Solar owners can continue exporting and qualifying active customers with a small connection must receive reasonable compensation. When the same market participant handles supply and return delivery, the statutory floor through 31 December 2029 is 50% of the agreed bare electricity supply price.
That floor is not guaranteed net income: suppliers may still charge reasonable return-delivery costs. Keep compensation and return charges separate in any estimate.
Direct self-consumption becomes the key separate value
Electricity produced and used at the same moment does not pass through the supplier as an import or export. The government explains that users do not pay electricity tax or supplier charges on this directly consumed electricity.
That means a useful comparison must separate annual solar generation into direct self-consumption and export. A yearly generation total alone cannot estimate the post-2026 bill effect.
Use your contract values, not a national average
The economic gap between using a solar kilowatt-hour directly and exporting it depends on the import tariff, export compensation and any export charges in the specific energy contract. Suppliers may charge costs associated with processing returned electricity, while the ACM supervises the compensation and permitted cost basis.
Model at least a current-contract case and a conservative case. Tariffs and contract structures can change before and after 2027, so a precise-looking estimate based on assumed national prices can be misleading.
- Annual generation in kWh
- Direct self-consumption percentage
- Import tariff including relevant taxes and charges
- Export compensation per kWh
- Contractual export charges
- Any battery losses and usable capacity
A battery is a separate investment decision
A battery can shift some midday export into later household consumption, but it loses energy in the charge-discharge cycle and has an installed cost. Avoid valuing every battery cycle at the full import tariff: the charging electricity may have earned export compensation instead.
Compare solar self-consumption first, then test battery capacity, useful cycles, efficiency and tariff spread with conservative assumptions. Simple payback is a screening tool, not a guarantee.