With more and more own green energy from the solar panels, overloaded networks and a net metering scheme that may be phased out, batteries for storage at home seem practical. But in use it is disappointing.
Enterprising Netherlands is throwing itself into all kinds of battery types for the storage of green electricity, says Bert van Renselaar of business consultant Sweco. “Batteries have become very relevant in a short time, especially for companies that want to expand, but are not getting more network capacity for the time being.” Sweco calculates that the Netherlands must invest 75 billion euros in batteries to prevent overload.
Households
Households can also shop a lot in battery land: from about 2000 euros for the smallest installation of 2 kilowatt hours to over 7000 euros for 8 kilowatt hours – a whopper, but more than enough for a large household. “With a battery you increase your own use from 30 percent to 60 percent of what solar panels yield,” says Milieu Centraal knowledge center. But there is also a limit to what the Dutch are willing to pay: no more than 3,000 euros, according to a poll conducted by Enie.nl among consumers.
This advance of the home battery is gaining momentum now that the cabinet wants to stop a popular subsidy scheme. Since 2004, households have been allowed to offset all electricity generated at home from solar panels against their actual consumption, i.e. net metering. According to government plans, this subsidy will be phased out to zero from 2025 to 2031. Provided the Senate approves it soon.
Not yet profitable
Batteries for the home may become more popular, but they are not yet profitable. “If people do the calculations, the batteries are now only interesting for the short term, a few hours, days at the most,” says energy expert Sanne de Boer of Rabo Research.
“The problem is that the battery fills up quickly in the spring and especially in the summer, while you only need a limited amount of power. Unlike in winter, but then the sun shines much less. With the current home batteries, you cannot keep the electricity you generated and stored in the summer until the winter,” says De Boer.
Moreover, on days with a lot of sun, the battery does not run out. “Unless you charge your car with it. But even if you cook and your fridge is connected to the home battery, you don’t use enough to empty the battery. The next day you start charging with a half full battery,” she says.
Independence
If the Senate stops that net metering, “then it could suddenly become interesting for people and companies,” says Jeroen Neefs of Energy StorageNL, the sector organization for entrepreneurs in energy storage. He compares with Belgium and Germany, which have no netting. “There you see a strong growth of home batteries. Also to be independent”, says Neefs.
In the energy transition, the Netherlands must tolerate countries such as Belgium, Germany and Italy with the roll-out of batteries, says De Graaf van Lyv. “In Belgium they see the need.”
“Perhaps it is time for a subsidy on home batteries,” says Milan van der Meulen, director of Soly, a supplier of solar panels. “So that the relatively high purchase price is moderated and the home battery becomes affordable for many more people. Although we are not going to wait for that subsidy.”