Published: July 8, 2023 at 13:14
Because the number of homes with solar panels is growing so rapidly, the power grid can no longer handle it everywhere on sunny days. Store the energy in a home battery, say grid operators. VVD and ChristenUnie argue for a subsidy, but criticism is also heard.
"In the countries around us, home batteries are already dead normal," said Steven Heshusius, principal researcher at Dutch New Energy Research. "Nearly 70 percent of German consumers buy batteries with their solar panels, and in Belgium, too, the market is booming since the net-metering scheme was abolished. In the Netherlands, not even fifteen hundred consumers own a home battery yet."
The reason is obvious: The Netherlands does still have a net-metering system. This means that owners of solar panels can offset the power they generate against the amount of power they consume. That is many times more favorable than if they would receive a producer tariff for the power that is fed into the grid.
Former Minister Eric Wiebes (Climate) had proposed phasing out the energy-saving scheme from 2023, but recently current climate minister Rob Jetten announced that this will be a year later at the earliest.
Home battery won't be financially attractive until 2027
VVD and ChristenUnie want 100,000 homeowners to get a home battery this government term. Dutch New Energy estimates that the turnaround will not follow until consumers are no longer allowed to feed their power back into the grid at the favorable consumer rate. It would not become financially attractive to purchase a home battery until 2027.
Energy storage during peak times can prevent power from private panel owners from causing problems as well.
Steven Heshusius, market researcher
Heshusius is convinced that the home battery is a good way to prevent overloading the power grid. "Our power grid is increasingly struggling to cope with the amount of solar power from large-scale projects. Energy storage during peak times can prevent power from private panel owners from causing problems as well."
300 million grant is 'better to invest'
Not every expert shares Heshusius' opinion. Thijs ten Brinck is owner and writer of the well-regarded blog WattisDuurzaam.nl. He expects that the phasing out of the energy-saving scheme could put a brake on the rapid growth of solar power, but thinks that the home battery is not a sustainable solution.
"VVD and ChristenUnie are willing to provide 30 percent subsidy. Currently, a good home battery including peripherals and installation costs 10,000 euros. So with 100,000 home batteries, the government is investing 300 million euros. That money is better invested in another way."
The limited amount of solar power that makes a home battery still usable is not nearly enough to offset the CO2 emissions in its production.
Thijs ten Brinck, energy expert
Ten Brinck's point: a solar panel in the Netherlands only reaches its maximum power for a few dozen hours a year. Only at those frugal times should solar panels be switched off, otherwise the power grid will be overloaded.
"The home battery could then save that power, so the thought makes sense," Ten Brinck argues. "But the vast majority of annual production finds a consumer immediately even without a home battery. The limited amount of solar power that makes a home battery still usable is not nearly enough to offset the CO2 emissions in the production of the battery."
Sustainability gain from subsidy on home battery 'is small'
Whether the home battery would be a good idea on an individual level depends on circumstances, says the energy expert. "As far as I am concerned, it is also time to phase out the net-metering scheme. With solar panels and a battery, at least as a household, you limit the number of kilowatt hours you take off the electricity grid and thus the energy tax you pay without a balancing scheme. A subsidy on the home battery will certainly make the bill more interesting for households more quickly," he explains.
"However, the government then subsidizes a system that helps a select group of households pay less tax. Since the sustainability gains are small, I think this is irresponsible. I would rather see the money invested in a stronger power grid for all of us."
Source: Now.com
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