Dutch solar panel owners face drastically reduced compensation for electricity fed back into the grid, potentially receiving as little as a few euros annually starting in 2027. This shift stems from alterations in the way surplus energy is valued.

Currently, households can deduct the value of excess energy from their regular energy bills. However, the incoming system will directly compensate consumers for each kilowatt hour of surplus electricity, albeit after subtracting associated costs.

Energy companies like Innova Energie anticipate minimal returns, projecting payouts as low as €8 per year. Greenchoice issued similar warnings, stating the imposed charges will largely negate the compensation received by solar panel owners. Specifically, providers are expected to pay 5.184 cents per kWh from January 2027, while simultaneously charging 5.184 kWh in costs, resulting in a net payment of a mere 0.25 cents per kWh.

Experts estimate that these changes will significantly extend the payback period for solar panel installations, increasing it from approximately six years to over 20 years.

Milieu Centraal advises households to mitigate the impact by maximizing self-consumption of generated electricity and investing in home batteries to store surplus energy.

Consumer groups are preparing legal challenges, arguing that the alteration constitutes a breach of contract. Initiatives like salderingsclaim.nl have already garnered significant support, with nearly 150,000 people signed up.