Hard figures: never before have energy suppliers paid so little for the power from your solar panels | MyGuide

Anyone who has a digital meter and solar panels irrevocably falls under the metering regime with separate consumption and injection. For families with a digital meter who installed solar panels between the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2021, a postponement until January 1, 2025 is still possible.

Is it still useful to postpone the installation of the digital meter? This is the difference on your bill.

This means that an increasingly large target group has two energy bills: a consumption invoice that you pay for the electricity you use and an injection rate that your energy supplier pays you for the solar panel electricity you place on the grid. The latter sounds good for your wallet at the beginning of spring. Unfortunately, the reality looks less rosy. Data from the Flemish energy regulator VREG shows that you now receive 3 euro cents per kilowatt hour for your solar power. The VREG estimates that an average family puts 2,162 kilowatt hours of electricity on the grid annually. This therefore results in a compensation of a paltry 64.86 euros.

It is striking that this compensation peaked in September 2022 to 50 euro cents per kilowatt hour or 1,081.00 euros on an annual basis. It was no coincidence that that moment coincided with the height of the energy crisis. Just as is the case with the consumption rate, the injection rates move with developments in the energy markets. Low prices are therefore favorable for the consumption bill, but at the same time they also mean a meager compensation for the power that your solar panels generate.

What compensation do you receive from your supplier? Check the current injection rates here.

You do not have to pay for the electricity you use when your solar panels generate it. That is why it is more appropriate than ever to increase the self-consumption of your solar panels. The Power Forecaster of the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) provides a daily indication of the expected sunshine for the following days. It allows you to adjust the consumption of your appliances accordingly and reduce dependence on the power grid.

An alternative is to use a home battery. In that case, you do not sell the power from your solar panels at the current bottom prices, but store that energy to use yourself later. The home battery yields even better in combination with a dynamic energy rate that follows energy prices per hour. If you manage to direct consumption to the cheapest hours and deliver energy at the more expensive times, the overall picture looks favorable. Another option is to share or sell your solar power with other consumers. Although most energy suppliers charge costs that skim off the benefits of energy sharing.

How much do you pay with a dynamic rate? View the current cost estimate.

You also don’t have to settle for the lowest injection rates. Mijnenergie.be bundles all feed-in reimbursements in one handy overview. You note that a reimbursement of up to 4.24 euro cents is possible. It is best to keep in mind that most injection rates are variable and can therefore decrease or increase over the course of the year.

Almost all energy suppliers – except Engie – link their injection contract to a consumption contract. You cannot take out both with two different providers. It is therefore advisable to check with which supplier you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Energy comparators automatically perform this calculation exercise based on your individual consumption, power production and place of residence.

Read more on Mijnenergie.be:

From free to 150 euros per year: that’s how much it costs to share excess energy from your solar panels

Belgians receive meager compensation for excess electricity: why is that? And what is the situation in our neighboring countries?

Roll-out of digital meters: how is Belgium doing compared to other EU countries?

This article was brought to you by our partner Mijnenergie.be.
Mijnenergie.be is an independent energy price comparator of electricity and gas offers.

Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!

Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.

Yes, I want free unlimited access