The net metering scheme is ending: what does this mean for you as a solar panel owner?

The Dutch energy market is changing rapidly. One of the biggest changes is the discontinuation of the net metering scheme. For years, this scheme was the main financial incentive for households to install solar panels. Now that the government has decided to completely phase out and ultimately discontinue the scheme, many solar panel owners are wondering: What does this mean for my energy bill? and How can I maintain my savings?

In this blog post, we explain exactly what the scheme was, why it's ending, and—perhaps most importantly—how you can prepare for the new situation. The home battery plays a central role, with smart solutions like the Anker SOLIX Solarbank 2 LFP home battery that immediately increases your self-consumption.

What is the net metering scheme again?

The netting scheme ensured that, as an owner of solar panels, you could offset the electricity you returned one-on-one against the electricity you took from the grid.

In short:
If you delivered 1 kWh back → then you could deduct that 1 kWh from what you consumed.

This made solar panels financially very attractive for many years, because you received the same amount of electricity returned as you paid for electricity from the grid.

Why is the net metering scheme being stopped?

The scheme was intended as a temporary incentive to stimulate the use of solar panels—and it succeeded. More than 2 million households now have solar panels.

The government is stopping the scheme because:

  • the electricity grid is increasingly overloaded due to peaks in feed-in
  • the scheme becomes expensive for the government and energy suppliers
  • fairer price differences must be created between generation, storage and consumption
  • the market must develop towards self-consumption and storage

The focus is therefore shifting from supplying energy back to using it yourself at the moment you generate it .

What does the end of the net metering scheme mean for you?

1. You get less for the electricity you return

Where you previously received the full electricity price, you will soon only receive a feed-in tariff. This is usually between €0.05 and €0.12 per kWh .

For comparison: the electricity price is often between €0.25 and €0.40 per kWh .

2. Self-consumption becomes much more valuable

You don't have to buy every kWh you use yourself. This means:

  • switch on devices earlier during solar production
  • smart control via an EMS
  • storing excess solar power with a home battery

3. The payback period of solar panels changes

Without net metering, the payback period will be somewhat longer, unless you increase your self-consumption. With a home battery, solar panels remain financially very attractive.

The role of a home battery now that net metering is ending

The most logical solution to absorb the impact of the abolition is a home battery.

✔ Storage instead of return
Instead of supplying electricity at a low rate, you can store it and use it later.

✔ Maximum benefit from your own solar energy
Every kWh used yourself yields more than a kWh returned.

✔ Smart switching with an EMS
With an Energy Management System the battery can:

  • charging during peak production
  • discharge during busy hours
  • drastically reduce your energy bill

An affordable and popular example is the Anker SOLIX Solarbank 2 , which is very safe and efficient for everyday use thanks to LFP technology.

✔ Less dependent on the grid
Grid congestion and feed-in problems are increasing — with a battery, you'll have much less trouble with these.

What can you do now?

1. Increase your self-consumption

Use devices during the day, such as:

  • washing machine
  • dishwasher
  • heat pump boiler
  • EV charger

2. Consider a home battery

From the end of the scheme, this will be the most important means of keeping your solar energy profitable.

3. Choose a dynamic energy contract

This allows you to benefit from low hourly rates and smart charging or discharging.

4. Install an EMS

An EMS automates everything and always ensures the most advantageous settings.

Will the end of the net metering scheme disadvantage solar panel owners?

That's not necessarily the case. Households that change their behavior and invest in smart energy solutions can even save more than before — thanks to:

  • dynamic rates
  • smart control
  • energy storage
  • less dependence on energy suppliers

The energy market is changing — and you can make the most of it.

Conclusion: It stops, but your benefit doesn't have to stop

The net metering scheme is ending, but that doesn't mean solar panels are becoming less attractive. The system is simply getting smarter:

  • less focus on returning
  • more focus on self-use
  • more opportunities with home batteries and EMS systems

Those who are prepared will soon save just as much — or even more — than before.

Want to know which home battery or EMS is best for your situation? Check out smart solutions like the Anker SOLIX Solarbank 2 at aboutwatt.com.

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