The old rules for billing solar panels will disappear. There will be huge problems.

• Net-metering, or a discount system, allows prosumers to transfer surplus energy to the grid and receive it later in specific proportions.
• However, in 2031, the first photovoltaic users will lose the right to settlement in this system.
• Experts warn that the lack of new solutions could lead to serious problems for solar panel owners.

Net metering is also known as a discount system. It applies to those who connected their utilities before March 31, 2022. It is quantitative and cashless. How exactly does the net metering system work?

• It involves transferring the surplus of unused energy to a "virtual" storage facility, i.e. physically to the grid;
• we can then draw this energy when our installation does not produce enough energy to meet our needs;
• settlement of surpluses varies depending on the size of the installation;
• for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) fed into the grid, the prosumer can receive 0.8 kWh for installations up to 10 kW or 0.7 kWh for installations with a capacity of 10 kW to 50 kW;
• However, prosumers must remember that they should use the accumulated surplus within 12 months, because after that time it will be lost.

KB.pl points out, however, that this system is only valid for 15 years. "Therefore, the first households will lose their right to net metering payments as early as 2031, " we read.

What awaits solar panel owners in 2031? It could be quite a challenge.

There is no official mechanism for automatic contract extension. This means that once the protection period expires, prosumers may be in for an unpleasant surprise if they are prevented from feeding energy into the grid, explains KB.pl.

According to experts, the lack of clear regulations threatens serious consequences. "In just six years, first-time users may only receive information about the expiration of their net metering rights, without any indication of an alternative billing system. Such a situation would not only undermine the confidence of individual investors but also undermine the very idea of ​​community energy," we read.

There will be huge problems. The old rules for billing solar panels will disappear.

globenergia.pl asked the Ministry of Climate if any work is underway to resolve the issue. "Currently, the Ministry of Climate and Environment is not conducting legislative work on specific solutions that would apply after this period," the ministry wrote in response, adding:

This issue will be analyzed in the coming years, taking into account the market situation, technical conditions of the grid, and the experiences of existing prosumers. Any planned changes will be announced in advance so that prosumers can prepare for the new billing conditions.

According to data from the Energy Market Agency, at the end of March 2025 there were 1,542,019 prosumer installations in Poland.