A practical guide for Dutch households that want to reduce their grid feed-in, use more of their own solar power, and intelligently navigate the changes regarding net metering.
Are you also increasingly receiving notifications about feed-in tariffs? You're not alone. While solar panels used to be primarily about generating as much power as possible, it's now increasingly about when you use electricity and how much you feed back into the grid.
This becomes even more important now that the net metering scheme will end on January 1, 2027. For many households, the calculation will shift from "maximum feed-in" to "maximum self-consumption." And that's precisely where a home battery for solar panels comes into play.
In this guide, we explain what's changing, why feeding back into the grid is becoming less attractive, and how a battery can help you keep your own solar power smarter in your home. Not with inflated promises, but with a practical look at 2026 and the years beyond.
What exactly are feed-in tariffs?
Feed-in tariffs are costs that some energy suppliers charge when you feed a lot of solar power back into the grid. This usually happens on sunny afternoons: your panels produce a lot, but demand in the house is low. The surplus then automatically goes to the electricity grid.
For households, this often feels contradictory. You invest in solar panels to reduce your energy bill, but then face additional costs as soon as you feed a lot back into the grid. However, the underlying logic is simple: the more peaks suppliers have to absorb, the more costs and risks they pass on.
Therefore, the core question in 2026 is no longer just how much you generate, but mainly how much you use directly yourself. Less feed-in often means less pressure on your contract terms and more control over your own consumption.
Why 2027 will be a turning point for solar panel owners
Until the end of 2026, net metering still plays a major role in the business case for solar panels. As of January 1, 2027, this scheme will cease. This means that you can no longer offset your fed-in electricity against the electricity you later draw from the grid.
You will still receive compensation for feed-in, but the practice will be different from what many households are used to. In market examples already circulating before 2027, the net amount remaining from feed-in is sometimes only a very small amount per kWh. This suddenly makes self-consumption much more valuable than "feeding back as much as possible."
The big shift is not that solar panels become useless. The shift is that self-consumption becomes more important than ever. Those who generate a lot during the day and consume a lot in the evening will look much more closely at storage, smart control, and dynamic energy prices.
ℹ️ Want to know more? View the Dutch government's explanation of the end of the net metering scheme and also read the overview from ConsuWijzer.
Why solar panels without storage are increasingly feeling less smart
The familiar mismatch remains the same: your solar panels generate the most around midday, while many households use more electricity in the evening. Without storage, you feed back into the grid during the day and buy electricity again later. That's precisely the movement that is becoming less financially attractive.
For many families, that's the real frustration point. Not because solar panels no longer work, but because the timing of generation and consumption doesn't match well. Especially in a household with induction cooking, a dishwasher, heat pump (boiler), or electric transport, you often see clear evening peaks.
Anyone who already notices that the smart meter shows a lot of feed-in during the day but still draws a lot in the evening usually doesn't have a generation problem but a timing problem.
How a home battery can increase your self-consumption
A home battery essentially does something very simple: it stores excess solar power for later. During sunny hours, you charge the battery with power that would otherwise go back into the grid. Later in the day, when the sun sets or your consumption increases, you first use that stored energy.
This shifts a portion of your own production from afternoon to evening. For many households, this is the most logical way to feed less back into the grid and buy less electricity during the hours when your home is active.
Those who already have solar panels will not only look at generation in 2026 but also at smarter self-consumption. Read more about this in our guide on solar panels and home battery as the new standard.
Dynamic energy prices: interesting, but not the same for everyone
With a dynamic energy contract, the price of electricity changes hourly or every fifteen minutes. This makes timing even more important. You can charge during inexpensive hours, and during more expensive hours, you prefer to use your own stored electricity. In theory, this sounds simple. In practice, the benefit depends on your contract, your consumption profile, and how the system is controlled.
Therefore, dynamic control is not a magic button, but it is a serious second layer on top of self-consumption. For those who already have a large afternoon surplus, smart charging and discharging can provide extra benefits. For those with little surplus or primarily seeking stability, the difference may be smaller.
If you have a dynamic contract, timing becomes almost as important as production. You can read more about this in our guide on dynamic energy prices and a smart home battery.
Why AC-coupled retrofit is so interesting for existing solar panels
Many households already have their solar panels installed and primarily want to add storage without rebuilding their entire system. In that case, an AC-coupled home battery is often the most practical route. You keep your existing solar panels and inverter, and add storage to the AC side.
This makes retrofitting particularly attractive when your current installation is still working well. You don't necessarily have to go back to the drawing board to get more out of your existing generation. For many existing installations, an AC-coupled home battery is the most practical retrofit route. You can read more about this in our guide to home batteries in 2026.
If you want to know if your meter cupboard is technically suitable, also read our explanation on connecting a home battery to 1-phase or 3-phase.
When a solution like the Sunpura S2400 AC becomes logical
Not every household immediately needs a large system. It's often smarter to first look at how much you're actually feeding back now, how much electricity you're still buying in the evening, and whether you have a good view of your pattern with a smart meter or P1 port. That's when a compact, expandable solution becomes interesting.
The Sunpura S2400 AC fits this idea. The system is designed as a retrofit solution for existing solar panels, with a basic capacity of 2.4 kWh, a power class of 2400 W, LiFePO4 technology, support for dynamic tariffs, and an AC-coupled design. Expansion up to 9.6 kWh is possible within the platform.
- • Retrofit solution: developed for existing solar panel installations.
- • Capacity: 2.4 kWh basic module, expandable up to 9.6 kWh.
- • Power: 2400 W per device.
- • Control: suitable for smart meter data and dynamic tariffs.
- • Safety: LiFePO4 and protection features for home use.
- • Housing: IP65 for robust placement.
Such a system is particularly logical if you have a lot of midday surplus, still consume a lot in the evening, and want to start small without completely replacing your existing PV setup. Not as a universal solution for everyone, but as a practical step for households that want to reduce their feed-in costs and better utilize their own solar power.
Smart choices: what to look for before buying a home battery?
| What to look for? | Why is it important? | Quick tip |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime feed-in | Determines how much surplus you can potentially store | Check your smart meter or energy supplier app |
| Evening consumption | That's where you often still buy grid electricity | Look at cooking, washing, charging, and heating |
| Capacity (kWh) | Determines how long you can run on stored energy | Cover more evening hours = more kWh needed |
| Power (W) | Determines what you can power simultaneously | Many appliances at once? Don't just look at kWh |
| Contract type | Fixed, variable, or dynamic changes your calculation | Dynamic offers opportunities, but also more price fluctuations |
| Smart meter / P1 | Provides better insight and enables smarter control | Check if your setup can work with this |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The information in this article is general and intended as a practical explanation. Savings, feed-in costs, feed-in tariffs, VAT refunds, and technical suitability vary by situation and may change due to policy, contract terms, and installation context. Always check the current conditions with your energy supplier, consult the Tax Authorities for fiscal questions, and have a certified installer assess which configuration is technically and safely suitable for your home.
