As long as energy suppliers give new private customers with solar panels a welcome bonus, the problem of wobbly current will remain in the summer months, says Edwin van der Graaf.
As long as energy suppliers give new private customers with solar panels a welcome bonus, the problem of wobbly current will remain in the summer months. You will find out if you take a look and compare your annual overview on an offer site of Groningen origin.
The return costs charged to a private individual are almost equal to the welcome bonus of the new customer with the same installation. In light of the cost threat, this gift encourages switching energy suppliers. The problem remains.
A much-discussed example is Vandebron, part of Essent. Where Essent charges a higher energy price to solar panel owners, Vandebron works with so-called scales.
Winter days
For an annual return supply of between 2000 kWh and 3000 kWh, the loyal customer pays 0.69 euros (including VAT) per day. And that all 365 days of the year, including the winter days.
Unfortunately, there is no information on the website about how the return costs are calculated. The choice of scale is also not motivated anywhere. Is the return of 1999 kWh on an annual basis not a problem for the grid? The customer is not told if and when his installation poses a problem. Not even at district level.
By setting a generic fine, it is even possible for customers to pay for problems elsewhere on the network. Or for that welcome bonus?
Division
Vandebron distinguishes itself in superlatives as a Green Supplier. Unfortunately, this supplier also causes division among its own regular customers. Green solidarity between customers is not made possible.
Solar panel owners who supply ‘too much’ cannot sell their production nor donate it to Vandebron customers without panels. Or to a charity such as the food bank. While there is already such a mutual exchange initiative in Belgium, made possible by a start-up company.
As long as energy suppliers are allowed to divide and conquer with welcome bonuses and feed-in costs, charge them without solving the ‘problem’ within their customer base, the problem will continue. This results in power peaks and/or power outages.
Nothing to say
Customers have no say. Pay or switch? That’s the question and the answer for now. Due to the apparent absence of a moral transition compass among suppliers, politicians will have to come up with a solution again.
Edwin van der Graaf is a resident of Groningen