How does my energy bill look if I have solar panels?
What does your bill consist of?
In the Netherlands, the energy bill consists of gas and electricity. Because we explain the difference with solar panels in this article, we'll tell you more about your electricity bill. It consists of variable and fixed costs. You pay these costs to your energy supplier.
Fixed costs
The fixed costs of your electricity bill are always the same, whether you use little or a lot. The fixed costs consist of:
- Fixed supply costs. For electricity and gas, you pay a fixed amount per month. When you have solar panels, you pay higher fixed supply costs. At Coolblue Energy, you pay € 25 per month for example. Without solar panels, this amount is € 7.50.
- Network operator costs. Your network operator ensures that electricity and gas are available in your home. You pay the costs for this via your energy supplier to the network operator. You pay a separate amount for electricity and for gas. This amount differs per supplier.
- Reduction energy tax. You get a discount on your electricity bill from the government, because electricity is a basic facility. This discount is the same for every household.
Variable costs
The variable costs depend on how much electricity you use. The more you use, the higher the variable costs. The variable costs consist of:
- Bare supply rate. This is the amount that you pay for your used electricity. The bare supply rate consists of a regular and off-peak rate. Normally, you pay the off-peak rate between 23:00 and 07:00. You pay the regular rate during the day and it's often higher. Do you have a fixed energy contract? Your bare supply rate won't change during your contract.
- Energy tax. You pay this tax per kilowatt hour of electricity. Your energy supplier pays this to the government. The government decides how much the taxes are.
- Feed-in tariff. Have you fed-in more electricity to the grid than you've used from the grid? You receive a feed-in tariff for the difference. This is part of the net-metering regulation. You can find your feed-in tariff in your energy contract. VAT. You pay taxes over the electricity you use. The government decides this amount and is the same for every energy supplier.
Example energy bill with solar panels in 2024
| Number of kWh | Price | Without solar panels | With solar panels | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed delivery costs | € 74.38 | € 247.93 | ||
| Network operator costs | € 625.44 | € 625.44 | ||
| Reduction energy taxes | - € 631.39 | - € 631.39 | ||
| VAT | € 15.62 | € 52.07 | ||
| Total fixed costs | € 84.05 | € 294.05 | ||
| Bare supply rate | 3000 | € 0.08 | € 240 | € 240 |
| Energy taxes | 3000 | € 0.12 | € 360 | € 360 |
| Feed-in tariff | 2100 | € 0.04 | - € 84 | |
| VAT | 3000 | € 0.04 | € 120 | € 120 |
| Total variable costs | € 720 | € 636 |
Use your solar power right away
You often feed-in more solar power to the grid than you use yourself. It becomes more important that you use your own generated electricity yourself as much as possible. Do your laundry during the day or charge your car, for example. This way, you use more electricity from your own solar panels and you need less electricity from the grid. This way, you save on your energy bill.
