Energy contracts in the Netherlands for expats: fixed, variable or dynamic?
Door Lisa van den BergBijgewerkt op 8 min lezen
A Dutch energy contract is fixed (price set for 1 to 3 years), variable (supplier can change prices) or dynamic (hourly market prices). You pay a monthly advance (termijnbedrag) and settle once a year. In 2026 energy tax is 11.1 cents per kWh and 73 cents per m³ of gas, with a €628.96 tax reduction per connection. What changed under the new Energy Act and how to switch.
Short answer
As of 29 September 2026: in the Netherlands you choose between a fixed contract (prices fixed for the term), a variable contract (the supplier can change prices during the contract) and a dynamic contract (prices follow the wholesale market, per hour or quarter hour for electricity and per day for gas) (ACM). Variable and dynamic contracts can be cancelled without an early-termination fee; leaving a fixed contract early can cost a fee equal to the supplier's loss (ACM). You pay a monthly advance (termijnbedrag) and receive an annual settlement. In 2026 the energy tax is 11.1 cents per kWh and 73 cents per m³ of gas, and every connection gets a fixed reduction of about €629 a year (Rijksoverheid).
What is the difference between fixed, variable and dynamic?
It is a trade-off between certainty and flexibility.
| Fixed (vast) | Variable (variabel) | Dynamic (dynamisch) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed for the term (often 1 to 3 years) | Supplier may change it during the contract | Follows the day-ahead market; known a day in advance |
| Early exit | Fee equal to the supplier's loss (contracts since 1 June 2023) | No early-termination fee | No early-termination fee |
| Needs a smart meter | No | No | Yes, consumption is billed per period |
| Best for | Budget certainty, winter heating with gas | People who may move soon | Flexible use: EV charging, heat pump, home battery |
Sources: ACM on early-termination fees, ACM on dynamic prices. With a dynamic contract, day-ahead prices are published around 4 p.m. for the next day; since October 2025 the European day-ahead market trades electricity per quarter hour instead of per hour (ACM). ACM reported in November 2024 that over 5 percent of households had a dynamic contract (ACM). ACM also warns that during price spikes dynamic customers pay substantially more, so it suits households with a financial buffer. In Dutch: fixed, variable or dynamic (in Dutch).
What changed with the new Energy Act in 2026?
The Energiewet took effect on 1 January 2026 and gives consumers a few extra protections:
- Free cancellation on price changes: if your supplier changes the prices, you can cancel free of charge (ACM).
- Dynamic contracts more widely offered: suppliers with more than 200,000 customers must offer a dynamic contract and explain its risks (Eneco).
- Supplier bankruptcy: if your supplier fails and another takes over, your contract terms stay the same (Eneco).
- Sign-up rewards in money only: discounts and bonuses must be in cash, not products or vouchers (Eneco).
Solar panels: net metering ends in 2027
The net-metering scheme (salderen) ends on 1 January 2027; households then get a feed-in compensation instead. ACM told suppliers with contracts running beyond 2027 to inform customers how they will apply the new rules (ACM, October 2025).
Background in Dutch: net metering in 2026 (in Dutch).
What is on a Dutch energy bill?
Supply costs, network costs, energy tax and 21 percent VAT, minus a fixed tax reduction (Rijksoverheid).
| Item | What it is | 2026 figure |
|---|---|---|
| Supply rate (leveringstarief) | Price per kWh and m³ from your supplier | Depends on your contract |
| Fixed supply costs (vaste leveringskosten) | Monthly standing charge from your supplier | Depends on your supplier |
| Network costs (netbeheerkosten) | Transport by your regional grid operator | Same whichever supplier you choose |
| Energy tax, electricity | Per kWh, incl. VAT | 11.1 cents |
| Energy tax, gas | Per m³, incl. VAT | 73 cents |
| Tax reduction (vermindering energiebelasting) | Fixed amount per connection per year | €628.96 incl. VAT |
Sources: Rijksoverheid, Milieu Centraal. The reduction is deducted by your supplier automatically. How to read each line: reading your energy bill (in Dutch).
What is the termijnbedrag and can you change it?
It is your monthly advance payment, and yes, you can have it adjusted. Your supplier estimates your annual costs from the energy price and your past usage and divides that by 12. Once a year you get a settlement (jaarafrekening): if you paid too much, you get money back; if you paid too little, you pay the difference. According to ACM ConsuWijzer you may always ask for the advance to be adjusted if it is too high or too low, and the supplier may only raise it with good reason (ACM ConsuWijzer).
New to the home? Start a bit higher
The supplier does not know your usage yet and estimates from the home's history or an average. Heating with gas costs far more in winter than in summer, so a slightly higher advance avoids a large bill at the annual settlement.
In Dutch: raising your advance before winter (in Dutch).
How do you arrange energy when you move in?
- Check your rental contract. In furnished apartments and student rooms, energy is often included in the service costs; then you don't take out your own contract.
- Compare and choose a supplier on our energy comparison. You need your address, date of moving in and a bank account; any EU/EEA euro IBAN must be accepted for direct debit (De Nederlandsche Bank).
- Note the meter readings on the day you get the keys: take photos of the electricity and gas meters, and have the landlord or previous occupant confirm them if possible.
- Pass the readings to your supplier so your first bill starts from the right figures.
- Moving out? Give your supplier the final readings. A variable or dynamic contract ends without a fee; for a fixed contract, check the early-termination rules.
The full arrival checklist is in moving to the Netherlands: utilities checklist. If you ever fall behind on payments, the supplier must send reminders and offer a payment arrangement before it may disconnect you; see paying bills in the Netherlands.
Veelgestelde vragen
Fixed if you want budget certainty and expect to stay for the whole term. Variable if you may move or leave soon, because it can be cancelled without an early-termination fee.
The monthly advance on your energy bill. Once a year your actual usage is settled against it. You can ask your supplier to adjust it if it is too high or too low.
Variable and dynamic contracts, yes, without an early-termination fee. For fixed contracts taken out since 1 June 2023, the fee may not exceed the supplier's actual loss. Since 1 January 2026 you can cancel free of charge if the supplier changes the prices.
11.1 cents per kWh of electricity and 73 cents per m³ of gas, including VAT. Each connection gets a fixed reduction of €628.96 a year, deducted by your supplier.
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