ACM warns of misleading home battery ads

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has issued a warning about misleading advertisements for home batteries. According to the regulator, promotional materials and sales pitches by providers often paint an overly optimistic picture of the financial benefits of owning a home battery.

Interest in home batteries has been rising, particularly among homeowners with solar panels who see them as a way to avoid feed-in costs for surplus solar energy. However, ACM stresses that estimating the financial returns of a home battery is not straightforward. “Energy prices from the past are not a reliable indicator of future energy prices,” the watchdog said in a statement.

ACM also noted that the financial advantages of a home battery diminish as more households adopt the technology.

The regulator advises consumers against purchasing a home battery based on unsolicited sales calls or social media ads. Instead, ACM recommends conducting thorough research into different models and pricing before making a decision.

ACM also flagged the risks of financing home batteries through loans. It urged consumers to carefully assess whether the investment will yield sufficient returns to repay the borrowed amount. “There’s no guarantee that the savings from a home battery will cover the loan,” the authority stated.