Electricity Sharing Opens New Opportunities for Solar Power Users

SLOVENIA, June 29 - This means that an individual will be able to allocate part of the electricity they do not consume themselves to another electricity customer anywhere in Slovenia. For example, a father with a rooftop solar installation in Maribor will be able to allocate part of his surplus electricity to his daughter in Piran.

Electricity sharing is settled in 15-minute intervals. The recipient's purchased electricity is reduced by the amount of electricity received through sharing. For example, if a customer draws 20 kWh of electricity from the grid during a 15-minute interval and receives 15 kWh through electricity sharing, the supplier will bill only 5 kWh of supplied electricity.

It is important to note that electricity sharing affects only the billing of supplied electricity. Network charges, taxes and other levies will continue to be calculated based on the actual amount of electricity drawn from the grid.

What Does Electricity Sharing Mean for Suppliers?

Electricity sharing also brings changes for electricity suppliers. Lower electricity sales volumes, more complex supply planning and the need to adapt information systems may result in additional costs.

How these costs are covered is a commercial decision for each supplier. The law allows suppliers to reflect such costs in their pricing, but only if they are justified, proportionate and do not result in unfair or discriminatory treatment of electricity-sharing participants.

The Electricity Supply Act explicitly provides that customers participating in electricity sharing must not be treated unfairly or discriminatorily. Any additional charges are therefore permissible only if they reflect the actual costs incurred by the supplier as a result of electricity sharing and are properly justified in both substance and amount.

The Ministry therefore considers that additional charges are not problematic in themselves, provided they are justified and proportionate. However, we expect such charges to remain low and not constitute a barrier to users wishing to participate in electricity sharing.

It is also important to emphasise that the costs of adapting information systems do not arise from individual users' decisions to participate in electricity sharing but stem from new legal requirements. These costs should therefore not be passed on solely to customers who choose to participate in electricity sharing.

What Happens if the Recipient Receives More Electricity Than They Consume?

If, during a given 15-minute interval, the recipient receives more electricity than they consume, the surplus is fed into the electricity grid. For settlement purposes, this electricity is treated in the same way as if it had been generated by the recipient themselves and therefore becomes part of the balancing group of their electricity supplier.

Any compensation for such exported electricity depends on the terms and conditions of the individual supplier. At present, most suppliers do not pay compensation for these surpluses, as the market value of electricity during periods of high solar generation is often very low or even negative.

Suppliers may adjust their commercial offers in the future in response to market conditions and offer a purchase price for surplus electricity. Users are free to choose the supplier whose terms best meet their needs.