Dynamic energy contracts in the Netherlands: how they work and who should get one
Prices that change every quarter hour, and why 2027 makes them more interesting
The short answer
On a dynamic contract (dynamisch energiecontract) you pay the wholesale price of electricity for every hour or quarter hour, plus a markup. On sunny or windy days that can be far below the €0.334/kWh a fixed contract averaged in 9 November 2026. On cold, still evenings it can be far above it.
It pays off if you can shift usage: an electric car, a heat pump, solar panels or a home battery. Our guide to Dutch energy prices explains what you pay on a normal contract, and the energy providers comparison covers every supplier.
Bottom line: renters in a gas-heated apartment who cook and shower in the evening are usually better off on a fixed contract. Homeowners with solar panels, an EV or a battery should look at dynamic pricing before net metering ends on 1 January 2027.
Table of contents
How does a dynamic energy contract work?
Electricity is traded a day ahead on the European wholesale market. Since 1 October 2025 that market sets a price for every quarter hour, so a day has 96 electricity prices instead of 24. Your supplier passes them on, adds its markup, energy tax and VAT, and bills your actual usage in each period.
The next day's prices appear in the supplier's app in the afternoon. Gas works the same way, but with one price per day. Network charges, energy tax and the yearly tax rebate are exactly the same as on any other contract.
| Contract type | Electricity price changes | Risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Never during the term (1-5 years) | Low, but you miss price drops | Budget certainty, gas-heated homes |
| Variable | Monthly or quarterly, set by the supplier | Medium | Short stays, flexibility to leave |
| Dynamic | Every hour or quarter hour, set by the market | High on cold, windless days | EV, heat pump, solar, battery |
You need a smart meter
Only a smart meter (slimme meter) records usage per quarter hour, and you must allow your network operator to share those readings with your supplier. Most Dutch homes already have one. If yours does not, the network operator installs it free of charge.
Who saves with a dynamic contract, and who pays more
Usually worth it
- You charge an electric car at home and can schedule it overnight or at midday.
- You have a heat pump with a buffer or a well-insulated home that holds heat.
- You own solar panels and use most of your power during the day.
- You have, or plan to buy, a home battery.
Usually not worth it
- Your home is heated with gas and you use a lot of it in winter, when gas prices peak.
- You cook, shower and run appliances in the early evening, the most expensive hours.
- You need a predictable monthly cost to budget.
- You do not want to check an app or set timers.
Why the end of net metering in 2027 changes the sums
Until the end of 2026, solar panel owners can offset every kWh they feed into the grid against a kWh they use (salderen). That makes it irrelevant when you use your power. From 1 January 2027 that offset disappears. You pay full price for what you take from the grid and receive a lower feed-in compensation for what you put back.
On a dynamic contract, feed-in is paid at the market price of that moment. On sunny afternoons the market is flooded with solar power and prices can drop below zero, so feeding in can earn almost nothing or even cost money. That is why smart features matter: some suppliers stop your feed-in automatically at negative prices, and a battery lets you store midday power for the expensive evening hours.
Check the feed-in terms, not just the price
Ask each supplier how it pays for feed-in from 2027, whether it charges feed-in costs (terugleverkosten), and what happens at negative prices. Our solar panels and home battery guide covers the 2027 rules in detail.
Dynamic energy suppliers compared
Four suppliers are built around dynamic pricing. Their fixed monthly fees and markups change regularly, so compare them on the supplier's own site on the day you sign. Most large suppliers also offer a dynamic option next to their fixed contracts.
| Supplier | Pricing | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Energie | Hourly or quarter-hour electricity, daily gas | Smart charging for EVs, battery trading (Slim Handelen), stops feed-in at negative prices |
| Zonneplan | Quarter-hour electricity, daily gas | No feed-in costs, bonus on solar feed-in, also sells solar panels, home batteries and chargers |
| Tibber | Dynamic electricity and gas | App-first, smart EV charging and home automation, Pulse meter reader for live usage |
| ANWB Energie | Dynamic electricity and gas | No margin on the energy price, cancel any day, no extra feed-in costs in 2027 |
All four run Dutch-language websites and contracts. If you prefer a supplier with an English website that also sells a dynamic contract, look at Coolblue Energie. Oxxio and Eneco offer dynamic contracts next to their fixed and variable ones, which makes switching between contract types easy later.
Coolblue Energie
Fixed and dynamic contracts, 100% green electricity from Dutch solar and wind, and an English website. Read our Coolblue Energie review.
Check Coolblue EnergieOxxio
Fixed, variable, dynamic and a Hybride contract with fixed gas and variable electricity, all with 100% green electricity. Dutch only.
View Oxxio tariffsCoolblue Energie and Oxxio links are affiliate links. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free. Frank Energie, Zonneplan, Tibber and ANWB Energie are included on merit.
Before you switch to a dynamic contract
- Check when you use energy. Your current supplier's app shows usage per day or hour. If most of it falls between 17:00 and 21:00, dynamic pricing works against you.
- Check your fixed contract's end date. Leaving a fixed contract early can cost a cancellation fee. Switching at the end of the term is free.
- Compare the fixed monthly fee and the markup. These are the supplier's margin, and they differ more than the market price itself.
- Read the feed-in terms if you have solar panels. Especially what happens from 1 January 2027 and at negative prices.
- Look at the supplier's 12-month estimate. Under agreements with the regulator ACM, dynamic suppliers publish an expected cost based on a standard method, so you can compare them.
You need a BSN and a Dutch bank account for any Dutch energy contract. Working from home as a freelancer? Read our energy for freelancers guide first.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dynamic energy contract?
A contract where your electricity price follows the wholesale day-ahead market, per hour or per quarter hour, instead of a price fixed for months or years. Gas follows the market per day. You see the next day's prices in the afternoon, so you can plan usage around the cheap periods. You pay the market price plus a markup and a fixed monthly fee.
Do I need a smart meter for a dynamic contract?
Yes. Your supplier needs your usage per quarter hour, which only a smart meter (slimme meter) records. You also have to allow your network operator to share those readings with the supplier. If your home has an old meter, the network operator replaces it free of charge on request.
Is a dynamic contract cheaper than a fixed contract?
For households that can move usage to cheap hours, often yes: charging an electric car at night, running a heat pump or washing machine at midday on sunny days. For a household that mostly uses energy in the evening and heats with gas in winter, a fixed contract is usually safer. Prices can spike sharply on cold, windless days.
Can I leave a dynamic contract at any time?
Most dynamic contracts run for an indefinite period and can be ended with a short notice period, without a cancellation fee. ANWB Energie lets you cancel daily. Check the notice period in the contract terms before signing, as it differs between suppliers.
What happens to solar panel owners on a dynamic contract in 2027?
Net metering (salderen) ends on 1 January 2027, so the power you feed in is no longer offset against the power you use. On a dynamic contract you are paid for feed-in based on the market price at that moment, which can be very low or even negative on sunny afternoons. Using your own solar power directly, or storing it in a battery, becomes more valuable.
Do dynamic suppliers offer English service?
The dynamic specialists (Frank Energie, Zonneplan, Tibber, ANWB Energie) run Dutch-language websites. Their apps are visual, with price graphs that are easy to follow without Dutch, but contracts and support are mostly in Dutch. If English support matters, the larger suppliers with a dynamic option, such as Coolblue Energie, are easier.
Official sources
- • ACM on dynamic price contracts: what suppliers must explain to consumers
- • Rijksoverheid on the end of net metering: the rules from 1 January 2027