Solar Calculator Netherlands 2026

Salderen ends 1 January 2027 — why 2026 is a pivot year

The Netherlands still runs one of the most generous export schemes in Europe. Under salderen, every kWh you feed into the grid cancels a kWh you buy, credited at your full all-in retail tariff of roughly €0.28–€0.35. But the law is settled: the scheme stops on 1 January 2027. From that date, surplus power earns only your supplier's terugleververgoeding — a feed-in payment that typically runs €0.02–€0.10 per kWh — and some suppliers now also charge terugleverkosten, a monthly fee for households that export heavily. Anyone comparing quotes in 2026 should model both worlds, and verify current rules with RVO and your energieleverancier before signing.

A worked example for a Dutch roof

Take a 10-panel, 4.4 kWp array in Utrecht. At Dutch irradiance of about 2.8–3.1 kWh per kW per day, expect roughly 4,600 kWh a year. Installed prices of €1.10–€1.40 per watt with 0% BTW put the system near €5,500.

• 2026, under salderen: nearly every kWh is worth ~€0.30, so annual value is about €1,380 — payback in roughly 4 years.
• From 2027: if you self-consume 35% at €0.30 and export the rest at a €0.05 feed-in rate, annual value drops to about €630 — payback stretches toward 8–9 years over the remaining life.

Blend the two periods and a 2026 buyer still lands at a solid return; run your own roof through our solar savings calculator and check yield assumptions with the solar output calculator.

Why solar still pays after salderen

Three things keep Dutch payback attractive: the 0% BTW rate on residential panels and installation, some of the lowest installed prices per watt in the world, and retail tariffs that remain high by European standards. Every kWh you use yourself is still worth the full tariff — that never changes.

Self-consumption and slimme sturing become decisive

After 2027 the game is shifting export into self-use. Run the dishwasher and warmtepomp at midday, charge an EV from surplus, and consider a home battery — model one with the battery payback calculator. Dynamic contracts plus slimme sturing (smart control) can also route surplus to hours when prices spike. Households that lift self-consumption from 30% to 50–60% largely neutralise the end of salderen.

Honest caveats

Feed-in rates and terugleverkosten differ per supplier and change often; grid congestion can delay connections in some regions; and panel degradation of ~0.5% a year should be in any 20-year model. For a neighbouring comparison where net metering never existed, see our Germany solar calculator. Always confirm the latest policy status via rvo.nl before you commit.

Solar calculators for other countries

Localized subsidy and tariff math for more markets:

Frequently asked questions

Your panels keep working and every kWh you use yourself still offsets your full retail tariff. Only exported surplus changes: instead of full netting, you receive your supplier's terugleververgoeding, typically €0.02–€0.10 per kWh. Some suppliers also charge terugleverkosten, so compare contracts and verify current terms with RVO and your supplier.

No. Residential solar panels on or near homes have carried a 0% BTW rate since 2023, covering both the hardware and installation. That effectively cuts around 21% off the sticker price and is a key reason Dutch installed costs of €1.10–€1.40 per watt are among the lowest anywhere.

Usually not. Buying in 2026 lets you bank a period of full salderen at ~€0.30 per kWh, and Dutch systems are cheap enough that even post-2027 economics work with decent self-consumption. Waiting just forfeits the remaining high-value months. That said, size the system to your daytime usage rather than maximising export.

Terugleverkosten are monthly fees some Dutch suppliers charge solar households to cover the cost of handling exported power. Not all suppliers charge them and amounts vary with how much you export. You can reduce or avoid them by switching supplier, raising self-consumption with smart timing or a battery, or choosing a dynamic contract — check terms each year.