The Dutch Regeling energie vervoer 2026 explained: the law behind the EREs
The Regeling energie vervoer 2026 is what makes home charging worth money. The annual obligation, the NEa's role, the charge-point and mandate requirements, and the yearly calendar — explained from the rules themselves.
The fact that you can earn money charging at home since 2026 isn't a promotion by charger manufacturers or energy companies — it's the direct consequence of a piece of regulation: the Regeling energie vervoer 2026, published in the Staatscourant (the Dutch government gazette) and executed by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa). Understand how that regulation works and you also understand why the payout exists, why the requirements are so strict — and why nobody can guarantee you a fixed price.
In short
- The core: fuel suppliers have an annual obligation to reduce the CO₂ emissions of transport. They comply by surrendering emission reduction units (EREs); 1 ERE = 1 kg of avoided CO₂.
- New since 1 January 2026: electricity delivered to an electric car at home can also produce EREs — through a registration provider (inboekdienstverlener).
- The hard requirements: a charge point with a built-in MID-certified meter (no transition period), a mandate per full calendar year, and one registration per EAN code.
- The calendar: deliveries over a calendar year can be booked in until 1 March of the following year at the latest.
Why this regulation exists
The Netherlands has to grow the share of renewable energy in transport, in line with the European renewable energy directive (RED III). The Regeling energie vervoer places that task on the parties bringing fuel to market: they get an annual obligation, expressed in CO₂ emissions to avoid. Suppliers comply by surrendering EREs to the NEa.
Those EREs are created where renewable energy is delivered to transport — for instance at your charge point. Whoever delivers may "book in" and receives tradable units for it. Fuel suppliers buy those units. That's how money flows from fossil fuel to renewable charging without a subsidy pot: the market sets the price.
From HBE to ERE: what changed in 2026
The system itself isn't new — companies with public or business charging infrastructure earned for years from its predecessor, the HBE (renewable fuel unit, expressed in gigajoules). In 2026 the system changed fundamentally on two points:
- The unit became CO₂. An ERE stands for 1 kg of avoided CO₂ emissions relative to the fossil reference. That ties the system directly to the climate goal.
- Private individuals participate. For the first time, electricity from private charge points counts — the largest untapped source of renewable charging.
For home charging the NEa uses a fixed renewable share of 50.5% (2026) across the Netherlands. The full formula: ERE = kWh × 50.5% × 183 g CO₂eq/MJ × 3.6 / 1000 — in practice 1 kWh is roughly 0.33 ERE. What that's worth is what our calculator works out.
The requirements for your charge point
The regulation sets three hard conditions for participating as a private individual:
- Built-in MID meter, no transition period. The charged kWh must be measured in an assured way by a MID-certified meter inside the charge point itself. For private charge points that requirement applies from day one. App values, estimates or separate intermediate meters don't count. Which models comply is in the MID overview or via the charger check.
- One registration per EAN. Your EAN code (the unique number of your grid connection) can be registered with one registration provider per calendar year — so the same kWh can never be claimed twice.
- A mandate per full calendar year. Mandates always run from 1 January to 31 December. The mandate states your name, address and EAN, plus permission for the NEa to request data from the grid operator.
The rules for registration providers
Private individuals cannot book in with the NEa themselves; it runs through a registration provider. The regulation sets requirements for that role too: a registration provider must demonstrate to the NEa that it holds at least 200 mandates from businesses and/or private individuals, or books in at least 2 million kWh per year. The NEa publishes a public list of registration providers — the place to verify who you're dealing with. What else to look for when choosing is in Comparing ERE registration providers.
The system's annual calendar
The system breathes in calendar years, with three fixed dates:
| By | What must be done |
|---|---|
| 1 March | Deliveries over the previous year are booked in |
| 1 April | Fuel suppliers hold sufficient EREs in their account (year-end closing) |
| 1 May | The verification of the annual obligation is registered |
For you as a home charger the first date matters most: sessions from 2026 can be booked in until 1 March 2027 at the latest. So even joining later in the year can make the entire calendar year count — provided your charger has recorded the history in an assured way.
What the regulation does not set: the price
The regulation creates the obligation and thus the demand, but no price. EREs are traded; their value moves with the size of the annual obligation and the supply of booked-in renewable energy. There is no official rate per kWh, and a provider promising you a guaranteed fixed annual amount is promising something the regulation itself doesn't know. All amounts we mention are indicative and market-dependent.
Sources: Regeling energie vervoer 2026 (Staatscourant) and the Dutch Emissions Authority's guidance at emissieautoriteit.nl — which also hosts the public list of registration providers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Regeling energie vervoer?
The Dutch regulation that obliges fuel suppliers to reduce the CO₂ emissions of transport, supervised by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa). Since 1 January 2026 the system works with emission reduction units (EREs) and electricity charged at home can be booked in as well.
What's the difference between an ERE and an HBE?
The HBE (renewable fuel unit) was the unit in the old system, expressed in energy (gigajoules). The ERE, since 2026, is expressed in avoided CO₂: one ERE stands for 1 kg of avoided emissions. Also new is that private charge points can participate.
Why does the NEa use a fixed renewable share of 50.5%?
For home charging by private individuals, one fixed percentage applies across the Netherlands in 2026: 50.5% of the charged electricity counts as renewable. That keeps the calculation workable and equal for everyone — your own solar panels or a green contract don't change it.
Until when can charge sessions from 2026 be booked in?
Deliveries over a calendar year can be booked in until 1 March of the following year at the latest. For 2026 the final booking date is therefore 1 March 2027 — which is why joining later in the year can still make the whole year count.
Is the ERE payout fixed by law?
No. The regulation creates the obligation and thus the demand for EREs, but the price is set on the market and moves with supply and demand. There is no official rate per kWh; any calculation upfront is indicative.
Ready to earn with your charger?
Create a free account — Revvolt handles NEa registration, the sale and the payout of your EREs.