During a recent episode of the Bright podcast, someone said it: “Solar panels are becoming something for nerds again.”

And you know what? I kind of agree. With net metering being phased out and electricity markets becoming more complex, solar isn’t just plug-and-play anymore. It takes research. Curiosity. A bit of obsession with graphs and peak hours.

But rather than that turning me off — it’s exactly why I’m continuing to invest. Over the past few years, I’ve gone from hybrid driving to full electric, installed solar panels in 2023, switched to a dynamic energy contract in 2025, and now I’m adding a home battery to the mix.

Not because I expect to get rich off my roof, but because I want to understand, contribute, and become a little less dependent. This isn’t just a hobby — it’s a mindset. And if that makes me a nerd… then I’ll take that as a compliment.

My Journey Toward Smarter, Greener Energy

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a gradual journey of small decisions that added up — and each one pushed me to learn more, take a bit more control, and think a little differently about energy.

Roughly four and a half years ago, I made the switch to a hybrid car. That was the first time I really thought about energy beyond just “filling up.” Two and a half years later, I moved to a fully electric vehicle, which changed how I thought about charging, grid capacity, and driving efficiency.

In 2023, I installed solar panels — despite already knowing that net metering would be phased out in the Netherlands. I didn’t let the uncertainty stop me, because it was never just about maximizing savings. It was about taking the next step in understanding and owning my energy footprint.

This year, in 2025, I switched from Vattenfall (after more than 20 years) to Zonneplan and signed up for a dynamic energy contract. The next step: adding a home battery. That will allow me to store energy, respond to market prices, and even help balance the grid when needed.

The cool thing? Until 2027, there are still financial incentives to participate in this system. But that’s not the reason I’m doing it. I want to be more independent, less passive — and this is how I get there.

Why I’m Doing It (Hint: It’s Not Just About the Money)

It’s easy to assume that people invest in solar panels or batteries because they want to lower their energy bills or even earn money by selling energy back to the grid. Sure, that’s part of the story — and I won’t pretend it doesn’t matter.

I fund these investments myself, and I always run the numbers. I like data. I want to understand the financial impact of my decisions — especially with energy markets as unpredictable as they are now. So yes, I make sure it makes sense.

But financial return is not the main reason I’m doing this.

What really drives me is the desire to understand and to own the way I consume energy. I don’t want to be completely dependent on a system I don’t fully control — especially a system that’s becoming more complex, volatile, and political by the day.

Choosing solar, going electric, switching to a dynamic contract — these weren’t just economic decisions. They were learning moments. Every step taught me something new about how the energy market works, how the grid responds, and how my own behavior affects what I consume and when.

It’s also about resilience. If energy prices spike or there’s instability in the system, I want to know that I have options. That I’ve built a home that can adapt, rather than just react.

And maybe most importantly: it just feels right. Not in a moralistic way, but in the way that being proactive and aware gives you a quiet kind of confidence — like you’re not just going along for the ride, but helping steer the vehicle.

I realize not everyone can make the same choices right now — and that’s okay. But I do hope more people start seeing these technologies not just as ways to save money, but as tools for learning, ownership, and a bit of quiet independence.

Yes, I Crunched the Numbers (Because of Course I Did)

While this journey is driven by values — like independence and sustainability — I’m also someone who likes to run the numbers. I don’t make decisions lightly. Every step I’ve taken was backed by a spreadsheet, some graphs, and a lot of curiosity.

🚗 From Two Gasoline Cars to One Hybrid Lease

Years ago, we owned two gasoline cars. They were older models — affordable, comfortable, and (let’s be honest) a good deal for what we got. But at some point, I sat down and calculated the actual cost: insurance, maintenance, fuel, taxes — it added up to around €475 per month for both.

We needed something more reliable. With a young daughter and a partner depending on the car, safety and certainty started to matter more than just cost. So I looked into private leasing — and I started thinking about emissions, too.

We ended up with a hybrid lease car at €509/month. Not much more than we were spending before — and a whole lot cleaner and more reliable. That was my first big step toward cleaner energy.

☀️ Solar Panels: Small Setup, Big Impact

In October 2023, I installed 6 solar panels on the southeast side of our roof: 2430 Wp total, for €3500.

2024 was my first full calendar year — and the numbers speak for themselves:

  • Grid import dropped from 3300 kWh to 2100 kWh
  • I generated 2600 kWh
    • Of that, I self-consumed 1100 kWh,
    • and 1600 kWh was returned to the grid
  • My electricity bill went from €88/month down to €14/month, even with the so-called “feed-in penalty”

I didn’t install panels to become a solar entrepreneur. I wanted to produce my own energy and use it smartly — not dump it on the grid at low value. And honestly? It works.

⚡ Switching to Zonneplan and Preparing for the Battery

In 2025, I switched to Zonneplan — not because of the lower cost (although I’m now paying around €9/month), but because of their approach to energy flexibility. They offer a home battery solution (the Nexus) that allows you to store your own power and return it when the grid needs it most.

That means we can actually use more of our solar and wind energy instead of relying on gas-fired power plants — ironic, right? The government wants us off natural gas, but most electricity still comes from gas when the sun isn’t shining. Batteries are a big part of the fix.

🔋 Planning the Home Battery: Yes, I Simulated It

I’m not buying a battery just because it’s cool (okay, maybe a little). Over the past year, I logged all my energy data and ran simulations. If I install a 20 kWh home battery, here’s what changes:

  • Grid import drops to 1030 kWh
  • Grid export drops to 360 kWh
  • Self-consumption rises to 2260 kWh
  • And from April through September, I could be almost completely grid-independent

These numbers do not yet include inverter losses, but even with a conservative correction, the results are strong.

The investment is around €8500, with VAT still refundable — a meaningful upfront cost, but one that’s part of a bigger picture.

Through Zonneplan’s Nexus battery system, the battery can also be used to help balance the national grid. They control charging and discharging intelligently, based on grid demand. Since November 1st, 2023, similar batteries in their system have generated €2746,25 in compensation — over roughly 17 months. That averages out to about €160/month in flexibility rewards. It’s a significant factor to consider.

And even without those incentives, self-consumption will always be more valuable than feeding energy back into the grid — especially as net metering disappears. If I decide to use the battery entirely for my own energy needs in the future, I still gain: greater independence, more efficient use of my solar power, and much more predictability.

All things considered, the battery feels like a smart next step. Data says yes. Logic says yes. And yeah — maybe the nerd in me says yes the loudest.

What I’ve Learned (So Far)

This journey has taught me more than I expected — not just about tech and data, but about systems, behavior, and how change really works.

I’ve learned how the electricity grid isn’t just a one-way street, but a living, breathing system. One where timing, behavior, and flexibility matter just as much as how many panels you have on your roof.

I’ve learned how market prices reflect scarcity, how batteries can ease pressure, and how most people still use energy like it’s 1999 — unaware that real-time pricing even exists.

And maybe most importantly: I’ve learned that what looks like a nerdy side project today is often tomorrow’s common sense.

None of this is about being perfect. It’s about trying, experimenting, and not waiting for someone else to fix it all. Every step has given me more insight, more resilience, and more control — and that’s worth a lot.

What I’ve Learned About the Grid

The more I dove into solar, batteries, and dynamic pricing, the more I realized how much we take the energy system for granted. We’re used to flipping a switch and assuming electricity is just there — always, instantly, and invisibly.

But behind that simplicity is a complex, fragile system that’s constantly trying to balance supply and demand. Peaks and dips. Day and night. Sunshine and stillness. And now that more households are generating and storing their own power, that balancing act is shifting — from centralized control to something more distributed, more dynamic.

Dynamic pricing gave me a front-row seat to how energy flows. Prices spike not just because energy is “expensive,” but because supply is tight. Storage matters. Timing matters. Your choices matter.

Understanding that has changed how I use energy — and made me feel much more connected to something I used to ignore.

Maybe Nerdy Is Just a Different Kind of Smart

So yes, I’ve tracked data. Simulated usage patterns. Compared real-time tariffs. That might sound nerdy — and maybe it is.

But what I’ve found is that the “nerdy” choice is often just the better-informed choice.

And those better-informed choices add up. Not just in euros saved or kilowatt-hours optimized, but in how you feel about your role in a bigger system. You stop feeling like a passive consumer and start becoming an active participant.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning, adapting, and doing what you can — one step at a time.

So, no — I don’t think solar is just for nerds. But if being curious, conscious, and a little obsessed with energy data makes me one… then I’m happy to wear the badge.