The EU’s 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework: How net metering slips through its net

Abstract

Net metering is a support scheme for the promotion of renewable energy sources (RES) that is linked with state-of-the-art trends, especially in the field of electricity, such as distributed generation, self-consumption and energy communities. Whilst the European Union (EU) Clean Energy Package has established a more coherent and comprehensive regime for RES support schemes in general, it makes no explicit reference to net metering schemes. This raises questions as to how and under which terms net metering schemes are compatible with EU law. Against this background, this article aims to analyse the relevant EU law provisions and conduct a comparative analysis of net metering regimes in four Member States to demonstrate that the national schemes enacted and applied have significantly different design features. The article argues that a more coordinated and specific approach on net metering at the EU level should emerge.