Jan 25, 2024 at 6:01 AM Update: 2 hours ago
The number of Dutch homes with solar panels increased significantly last year: from 2 million to 2.6 million. This means that 32 percent of the houses have now been supplied, reports Netbeheer Nederland.
The number of homes with solar panels will grow by 25 to 32 percent almost everywhere in the country by 2023. Grid operator Stedin saw the largest increase – of 32 percent – in the provinces of Utrecht, South Holland and Zeeland, it turned out earlier this week.
In 2022, the number of homes with solar panels also increased by 30 percent. Demand increased enormously after energy prices shot up in 2022. The market has now calmed down a bit.
Growth therefore decreased somewhat in the second half of 2023, according to Netbeheer Nederland. “It may be that the market for solar panels is slowly becoming saturated,” says a spokesperson for the trade association.
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Solar energy requires behavioral change
About 30 to 40 percent of the electricity generated remains in or around your own home, the trade association says. The rest of the electricity goes back to the power grid. The owners of solar panels can earn something from this thanks to the so-called netting scheme.
Netbeheer Nederland argues for the abolition of this scheme, because the power grids are overcrowded. “It is now better to look at an incentive to use more electricity at times when a lot is being generated,” says Netbeheer Nederland director Hans-Peter Oskam. For example, it would help if people did their laundry and charged the car when the sun was shining.
This does require a significant change in consumer behavior, as we are used to electricity being always available. According to Netbeheer Nederland, we are ultimately moving towards a system in which we become more dependent on the availability of wind and sun.
At the same time, grid operators invest billions of euros annually in strengthening and expanding the power grid. This should, for example, prevent solar panels from switching off if they generate too much energy for the power grid at the same time.
2024-01-25 05:01:08
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