The competition regulator in the Netherlands has ruled in favor of big energy suppliers, affirming the legitimacy of grid fees imposed on PV system owners. Currently, solar customers are subjected to grid fees ranging from €100 ($107) to €697, determined by the size of their system.
The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has conducted an investigation into the grid fees imposed by four major energy suppliers – Budget Energie, Vattenfall, Eneco, and Engie – on residential PV system owners. Following the investigation, ACM has determined that these fees are deemed legitimate.
The authority explained that the "terugleverkosten" fees are influenced by increased purchasing costs, heightened imbalance costs, and the net-metering expenses incurred by energy suppliers due to rooftop PV system ownership among their customers. It clarified that these fees do not serve as a profit source, as the collected funds are utilized to offset the reduced tariffs paid by consumers who do not possess PV installations.
The competition regulator further highlighted that PV system owners are confronted with complex contracts provided by energy suppliers, posing challenges in comparing and selecting the most favorable option.
"The ACM urged suppliers and energy comparison platforms to enhance the clarity and comparability of contracts," stated the authority in a press release. According to www.keuze.nl, a Dutch online platform enabling consumers to compare various commercial offers, grid fees can range from €100 ($107.81) to €697 based on the size of the system.
In 2023, the Dutch solar market witnessed a significant growth, adding 4.82 GW of new PV capacity, as revealed by the "National Solar Trendrapport 2023" study published by consultancy firm Dutch New Energy (DNE) Research. Of this capacity, approximately 2.5 GW was attributed to residential installations, marking a notable increase from 2.2 GW in the previous year.
From PV Magazine