Most Dutch households lost money on dynamic energy contracts, data shows
The vast majority of Dutch households with dynamic energy contracts paid more for their electricity and gas in the past year than they would have with fixed-rate contracts, including many with solar panels, according to comparisons by price websites Keuze.nl and Overstappen.nl.
Between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, four out of five households with dynamic contracts paid hundreds of euros more than they would have under the best available fixed-rate options at the time. The analysis included current market prices, usage data, and inkoopvergoedingen — the payments households receive for returning solar power to the grid.
“Fixed contracts remain financially more attractive for now because of large cashbacks,” Geert Wirken of Keuze.nl told AD. He noted that the difference between fixed and dynamic contracts is shrinking, but most households still lost out under dynamic pricing.
Dynamic pricing only saves money for consumers who actively shift usage to the cheapest hours of the day — which most households don’t do, according to Overstappen.nl.
"If you didn't do much to shift your energy use to cheaper hours, you probably didn't save," Pascal van den Heuvel said in an Overstappen.nl press release.
Keuze.nl gave concrete examples. A household that runs the dishwasher at off-peak times would save about 26 euros per year. Including the washing machine and dryer raises that to 65 euros annually. On the other hand, an electric vehicle owner who charges the car at 6 p.m. — during peak demand — pays 600 euros more per year with a dynamic contract compared to a fixed-rate plan.
Solar panel owners also saw little benefit. While dynamic contracts reduce or eliminate terugleverkosten — fees for feeding electricity back to the grid — the value of electricity during sunny hours is low.
“Because people return electricity when the sun shines and prices are low, they get little in return,” Van den Heuvel said. Overstappen.nl found that only households with solar panels and no natural gas connection profited from dynamic pricing.
Even fixed-rate plans now reflect lower wholesale prices. “Suppliers include expected free electricity during sunny hours in their pricing,” Martien Visser, professor of energy transition at Hanzehogeschool in Groningen, told AD. “Despite inflation, the cost per kilowatt-hour has dropped by several cents over the past year.”
Cashbacks and sign-up bonuses were a major factor. “In most cases, fixed contracts turned out to be a few hundred euros cheaper per year,” Wirken of Keuze.nl told AD. “They lose money on a customer the first year,” he said, “but the model works because most people don’t switch again.”
Regardless of contract type, natural gas remains expensive in the Netherlands. Taxes and fees total nearly 0.70 cents per cubic meter, according to Keuze.nl, making the Netherlands the third-most expensive country in Europe for natural gas after Sweden and Switzerland.
Dynamic contracts reportedly do not reduce these costs. Gas prices still include the base market rate, a risk premium, fixed delivery charges, and regional grid fees — none of which vary with the type of contract.
Dynamic pricing may become more appealing after 2027, when the Dutch net metering policy — the salderingsregeling — is scheduled to end. At that point, feeding power into the grid will generate little or no financial return, and consumers may benefit more from aligning usage with pricing fluctuations.
