Can you actually buy electricity from Texel Delta on Texel? And use energy generated in Maastricht with wind turbines in the North Sea? Can I move the contract with my energy supplier to the other side of the country? We’ll find out for you in this blog!
From no choice to unlimited choice
But first we take you back in time. In the past, each region had one fixed energy supplier. If you lived in Gelderland, your customer was with Nuon , Groningers were automatically sentenced to a contract with Essent and in Utrecht you were with Eneco . That changed in 2004. Then the energy market was liberalized . From that moment on, everyone was allowed to choose their own energy supplier.
Rapid growth in the number of energy suppliers
Since 2004, the number of energy suppliers has grown rapidly. You now have a choice of dozens of different suppliers. From price fighters such as BudgetEnergie and EnergyDirect to green suppliers such as Greenchoice, Qurrent and Vandebron.
Regional and business suppliers are also among them
Most energy suppliers supply gas and electricity throughout the Netherlands, but not all. You also have energy suppliers that are only active in a certain region. A good example is Twence in Hengelo. This energy producer supplies 164,000 households in Overijssel with electricity generated from residual flows and biomass. There are also suppliers who only focus on the business market, such as VanHelder.
How can an energy supplier actually deliver throughout the Netherlands?
That has everything to do with our energy network. Pipes, pipes and electrical cables run throughout the Netherlands. That network is in the hands of network operators. Energy suppliers supply electricity to that network. That all goes together in one big heap. The power that comes from your outlet does not necessarily have to be generated by the energy supplier that you have chosen. It may sound strange, but the alternative would be that every energy supplier would dig its own connection to your meter cupboard. Of course you are not waiting for that.
Do you pay the same for gas and electricity everywhere in the Netherlands?
It is, therefore, possible to purchase electricity suppliers in New Zealand that is generated in New Zealand and to ‘Netflix’ in Maastricht on energy from Den Helder. But that does not mean that you also pay the same for gas and electricity everywhere in the Netherlands. Energy suppliers can make a distinction up to the postal code level in the rates they charge. And you also have to deal with network management costs: an amount that you pay for maintenance of the cables and pipes, among other things. These rates differ per region.
Contract co-moving to the other side of the country
If you are moving, you can simply move your energy contract with you. Unless you move abroad. As long as you stay within the Netherlands, you can relocate the contract. It may be that you end up in a home without a gas connection, or for example in a home where you rent all-in. Then it is different. When you move, your rates may change slightly. For example, if you move from region, the gas rate may be different. There is also another network manager responsible for the connection to the new address and you will therefore have to pay the rate of your new network manager.
Gaslicht.com makes it easy with the energy comparator
We understand that you do not want to delve into it when you switch. That is why we have done that for you. All that information is processed in our energy comparator . If you enter your zip code, you will see the rates that apply to you. In any case, you only see energy suppliers that supply throughout the Netherlands. We do not include regional suppliers in our comparator , nor do we include companies that only resell. That way you know for sure that you’re in the right place when you switch!