Plug-in solar in France, Belgium and the Netherlands

France, Belgium and the Netherlands all allow plug-in solar, but each handles it differently. France asks for a free agreement with the grid operator, Belgium sets rules per region, and the Netherlands is ending net metering on 1 January 2027. Checked: October 2026.

The three countries at a glance

Topic	France	Belgium	Netherlands
Plug-in allowed	yes	yes, by region	yes
Paperwork	CACSI with Enedis (free)	Flanders: no registration up to 800 W per meter; Wallonia: framework for kits below 800 VA	register with grid operator
Export payment	none under CACSI	depends on region and meter	net metering until end of 2026, then lower rate
Regulator	CRE, Enedis	VREG (Flanders), CWaPE (Wallonia)	ACM, RVO
Checked	October 2026	October 2026	October 2026

France: the CACSI agreement

In France, every generator connected in parallel with the public grid must be declared, even if it is only plugged into a socket. For plug-in kits that do not sell their surplus, the route is the convention d’autoconsommation sans injection (CACSI), a self-consumption agreement without export payment. It is free and is signed online with Enedis, which runs most of the French distribution grid, or with the local operator in areas served by a municipal utility.

Any surplus that does flow into the grid is not paid. That is why French guidance focuses on sizing: a kit that matches your daytime base load wastes less. Our guide to feed-in or self-consumption shows how to estimate your base load.

French wiring practice is strict about circuits and protection. If you want a dedicated socket or circuit for the kit, have it installed by an electrician.

Belgium: three regions, three approaches

Energy distribution in Belgium is a regional matter, so the rules differ between Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

Flanders. Households may use plug-in solar panels without registering them with the grid operator Fluvius, as long as the plug-in panels do not exceed 800 W per electricity meter. In practice that means one or two panels. Flanders has widely rolled out digital meters, which record exports separately. The regional regulator is VREG.

Wallonia. Wallonia formalised a framework for plug-and-play kits through an adaptation of the Synergrid technical rules, approved by the regional regulator CWaPE. Kits below 800 VA are not subject to the prosumer grid fee that applies to conventional installations.

Brussels. The capital region has its own regulator and grid operator. Check the current rules with them before buying, as the framework has developed later than in the other two regions.

The Netherlands: net metering ends in 2027

Plug-in panels have long been common on Dutch balconies. Under the net metering scheme (salderingsregeling), power exported to the grid could be offset against power drawn later in the year, so each exported kilowatt-hour was worth almost as much as one used directly.

The Dutch parliament has decided to end that scheme on 1 January 2027. From then on, exports are paid at a rate set by the supplier, which is lower than the retail price. For a balcony system that means the share you use yourself, during the day, matters far more. Options include shifting appliances to sunny hours, choosing a dynamic tariff or adding a small battery. See plug-in solar with a battery and dynamic electricity tariffs.

Dutch grid operators ask households to register solar systems, including small ones, so that the grid has an accurate picture. Registration is free.

What all three have in common

• The inverter must be certified and disconnect automatically when the grid fails.
• An output limit around 800 W applies in Belgium; France and the Netherlands rely more on registration and general safety rules.
• Renting is a matter of the lease: ask the landlord or building management in writing before fixing panels to a facade or balcony.
• Fixed wiring, a new socket or a home battery connected to the distribution board is for a qualified electrician.

Sun and yield

Yields in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands are similar to those in Germany, while the south of France gets noticeably more sun. Use our yield and payback calculator with a location-specific figure from the EU’s PVGIS tool rather than a national average.

How the rules compare across Europe is summarised on the country rules hub. For the south, see Spain, Italy and Portugal; for the 800 W logic, see the 800 W limit.