Energy sharing

The new energy law gives consumers more control over their energy consumption. One of the biggest changes is the emergence of energy communities. These are local collaborations of citizens, businesses, associations, civil society organisations and/or governments, who generate, use, store or share sustainable energy together. Such energy communities are not focused on profit, but on benefits for members and the local environment.

What are the benefits?

• Lower energy costs
  By joining an energy community, you benefit from local energy generation at lower tariffs. Want to know how this works? Then take a look at our animation On the Pilot Glanskern Benthuizen.
• More control
  As a participant, you have a voice in decisions about new projects or investments. See how we did that at Sunshine in Alphen do.
• Sustainability
  You contribute to a cleaner living environment by using locally generated green energy.
• Local impact
  Any proceeds are invested in new projects or given back to members.

What will change?

The new energy law allows you to share your own energy surplus with neighbours or other members of their energy community. This concept is called ‘energy sharing’. For example, do you have solar panels and generate more than you use yourself? Then you can resell that power to a neighbour or family member, without going through an energy supplier. You can also still choose to store your power in a home battery.

Energy suppliers will be required to adapt their systems to make energy sharing administratively simple and transparent. For instance, you will soon be able to use an app to see how much electricity you have shared and how much you have earned from it.

Spearhead of policy: local ownership

Local ownership is one of the key priorities of Energiek Alphen aan den Rijn's policy. The Energy Agreement sets out the ambition to ensure that at least fifty percent of new solar and wind projects are owned by the local community (residents, businesses and public institutions/organisations). For us, this is an important starting point in the development of new energy transition projects. We believe that increasing say and financial ownership increases the involvement and acceptance of new, sustainable energy projects. It also counterbalances larger commercial project developers, for whom profit (maximisation) is an important goal. At the beginning of 2025, the EA board issued a statement on this subject (‘We generate the energy we use ourselves.’), what you here can read.

Local ownership also keeps the proceeds from the energy generated within the local community. Increasing individualisation, the unpredictable global and local climate, and highly fluctuating energy prices are leading more and more citizens to seek each other out to make this possible in communities such as these.

Local4Local

This development has led to the project Local4Local, which is being implemented by various partners under the direction of Energy Together. This is the national umbrella organisation and interest group for energy cooperatives. Energiek Alphen aan den Rijn is one of the signatories of the Local4Local charter. The charter forms the basis for cooperation and shared values among energy communities striving for a fair and sustainable energy market. It was drawn up by democratic energy communities to secure local control over energy and money flows, strengthen cooperation between communities and create a collective force that contributes to a sustainable future. You can read the Local4Local charter here download.

Our project in Benthuizen is part of a series of pilot projects supported by Local4Local. Click here For more information about this project, please visit the Local4Local website.

Interesting articles

Our Energy Coaches, board members or other volunteers sometimes come across interesting stories in the media. Read along.