How the Shift from Monthly to Hourly Netting Affects Solar Revenue
With hourly netting, daytime surplus fed to the grid is worth less. Using real EPİAŞ prices, we examine the new revenue picture and its impact on payback.
Why the old model was generous
Under monthly netting, midday surplus was deducted from evening and night consumption at month-end — the panel acted like a 'monthly battery', hiding the timing gap between production and consumption.
Hourly netting lowers the value of surplus
Since 1 May 2026 reconciliation is hourly. Surplus not consumed in that hour, beyond the paid-production limit, may incur system usage fees or be counted as a free contribution under YEKDEM. In short, daytime surplus no longer covers your night consumption as before.
Intraday price spreads reinforce this: per EPİAŞ data, in a sample week at end-2025 peak hours (17:00–22:00) averaged about 3,375 TL/MWh versus ~2,676 TL/MWh at night. When you generate by day but consume in the expensive evening, the spread works against you.
Illustrative example: a typical unlicensed plant
- Assume a plant self-consumes 30% of annual output instantly and exports 70% (typical without storage).
- Under the monthly model most of that 70% could be offset across the year.
- Under hourly netting, surplus that can't be consumed simultaneously drops sharply in value, reducing net bill savings.
- Raising self-consumption from 30% to 60–80% (load shifting + storage) largely offsets this loss.
Impact on payback
Projects built around grid export may see longer paybacks. By contrast, well-sized systems with high self-consumption, supported by a battery where needed, preserve payback — and may shorten it for industry with evening peaks.
How to protect revenue
- Size for self-consumption, not just capacity.
- Shift flexible loads (pumps, cooling, EV charging) to daytime generation hours.
- Add storage (BESS) if evening/night load is high.
- Consider a hybrid setup combining solar and storage at one connection point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hourly netting make solar unprofitable?
No. Well-sized systems with high self-consumption still deliver strong returns; designs just need to target self-consumption rather than grid export.
Can I use daytime surplus at night?
Not via netting directly. The way to move surplus to the evening is battery storage; that's where the value lies under the hourly model.
Is it better for industry?
Usually yes. Daytime-operating sites can reach 70–95% self-consumption, so they are less affected by hourly netting.