Netherlands scraps distribution charge for solar installs

The Netherlands has removed a distribution fee for solar owners looking to put excess power back onto the grid.

The national transmission operator, Netbeheer Nederland, said a connection fee for grid access would remain in place but from 1 January 2014, the distribution fee would not apply to solar installations.

Netbeheer Nederland stressed that solar installations must have their own distinct connection and be registered separately.

In September the country revised its renewable energy goals with a 14% target for 2020 and the objective of up to 2 million residential PV installs.

The country’s feed-in tariff scheme reached capacity in August with the full €50.8 million (US$67.5 million) budget allocated.

Additional grid fees and self-consumption levies are courting controversy in the US and Australia as well as in Europe with Spain’s government accused of trying t “tax the sun”.