Half a million social housing tenants could lose money as Dutch solar policy ends
More than 500,000 social housing tenants risk paying more for electricity when the Dutch net metering system (salderingsregeling) ends on January 1, 2027, AD reports.
Social housing corporations installed solar panels on hundreds of thousands of homes. Tenants pay about 3.50 euros per panel per month. After 2027, they will no longer be able to offset electricity production against their own use, while service costs remain. Estimates show 85 percent of tenants could lose money, from a few euros to tens of euros per month.
Attempts to use home batteries have failed. Roland van der Klauw, founder of Wocozon, which installed panels on nearly 60,000 social housing units, said: "Including installation, meter cabinet adjustments, and inverter changes, a 5 kWh battery costs 2,000 to 2,500 euros. That price would need to be halved."
Batteries could increase self-consumption from 30 percent to 60 percent—but only if installed simultaneously with panels. Experts say 541 million euros would be needed to prevent tenant losses.
Housing corporations fear financial shortfalls and angry tenants. A Woonbond survey found one in three tenants wants panels removed. Vivare in Arnhem saw tenants demand panel removal despite prior promises. "We used to install panels if 70 percent approved, but we abandoned that policy," Linda Hoekjan of Vivare told AD. Some panels were removed after tenants learned the consequences.
Rising electricity bills could push more tenants into energy poverty. Woonbond director Zen Winkels criticized the government’s abrupt change: "Yet another broken promise affecting everyone’s basic security."
