Net metering in the Netherlands is done on an annual basis. With net metering, the electricity you generate but do not use yourself is fed back into the electricity grid. This returned electricity is then settled with the electricity you take from the grid. The balance, the difference between what you have fed back and what you have consumed, is calculated annually.

This means that if you generate more electricity than you consume during a certain year, you have a credit at the end of that year. This credit is then settled with any electricity consumed in other parts of the year. If, on an annual basis, you have fed more back than you have taken, you often receive compensation for the surplus electricity fed back.

Annual net metering is an important principle for households with solar panels, as it ensures that you can optimally utilize the generated energy over the whole year, even if there are monthly variations in your energy consumption and generation.