Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know to get started
Voltico in a nutshell
How do ERE certificates contribute to a better environment?
ERE certificates encourage the use of renewable energy in the transport sector by financially rewarding electric driving. Fuel suppliers buy them to comply with their legal sustainability obligations. As a result, money flows from fossil fuels to electric charging, CO₂ emissions decrease, and fossil fuel dependence reduces. The system rewards those who choose electric driving, and therefore contributes to more sustainable mobility.
What exactly is Voltico?
Voltico helps you earn money from charging at home. Every time you charge your electric vehicle instead of filling up at a fuel pump, you avoid CO₂ emissions - and those avoided emissions are worth money in Europe. Voltico translates your charging sessions into tradable ERE certificates, sells them to parties that are legally required to offset their emissions, and deposits the earnings into your account. You do not have to track anything yourself: we connect directly to your charger.
How do I earn money from charging at home?
Under European legislation, companies are required to reduce their CO₂ emissions. One way fuel suppliers can do this is by purchasing ERE certificates that represent verifiable CO₂ reductions. Electric driving can generate these ERE certificates, which means you, as a driver, are rewarded for your contribution to emission reduction. Voltico translates your charging sessions into ERE certificates, sells them to fuel suppliers, and transfers the earnings to you.
Is this really a legal system and not a marketing story?
Yes. The system is legally established through European and Dutch legislation and is supervised by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa). Voltico is recognised by the NEa as an emission credit service provider and is externally audited every year. The compensation does not come from subsidies or taxpayer money, but from the parties that are legally required to reduce their CO₂ emissions.
What you can earn
How much can I earn per year?
Roughly between €100 and €500 per year, depending on how much you drive, how much you charge at home, and how efficient your car is. An efficient car driving around 8,500 km per year lands at the lower end; a less efficient car driving 25,000 km at the upper end. The exact amount depends on the net market price at sale.
For this calculation we assume 80% home charging, a net price of €0.10 per kWh, and energy consumption between approximately 14 and 25 kWh per 100 km.
What does Voltico withhold from the earnings?
Voltico retains 20% of the amount your EREs generate. If no EREs are sold, you pay nothing. No subscription fees, no connection fees, and no hidden costs. In the portal, you can see exactly how your net amount is calculated.
When and how am I paid?
By default, payouts are made every quarter, directly into your bank account. In the portal, you can see what you have earned per period and when the next payout will take place. Soon, you will also be able to choose monthly payouts in our portal. For 2026, the first payout is expected this fall due to the start-up of the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) register.
How is the price per ERE determined?
By supply and demand in a market supervised by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa). Demand comes from fuel suppliers legally required to reduce more and more emissions: from 14.4% in 2026 to 28.4% in 2030. Supply comes mainly from biofuels and increasingly from electric charging. Converted per kWh, earnings usually lie between €0.07 and €0.14.
The price of biofuels is the main price driver. Voltico does not set the price and takes no trading position, so our interest is aligned with yours. More on price formation is available in our blog post on the price of EREs.
Do I earn more if I charge with solar panels?
Not for now. For home chargers, the legislator does not yet distinguish between electricity from your own solar panels and electricity from the grid. For every kWh charged, the national average share of renewable electricity is used: set at 50.5% for 2026. That share grows every year, so you automatically receive more EREs per kWh as the Netherlands continues to shift towards a more renewable electricity mix.
Do I have to pay tax on the earnings?
Possibly. The Dutch Tax Administration has not yet issued specific guidance, but the earnings could be classified as income from other activities. At a few hundred euros per year the tax impact is usually limited, though your situation may differ. Voltico cannot provide binding tax advice; please consult the Dutch Tax Administration or a tax advisor.
Do you drive a lease or company car? In that case you may be able to make arrangements with your employer about how the earnings are divided.
How you can participate
Which charger do I need?
A home charger with a MID-certified meter: a legally approved meter that accurately measures the electricity delivered to your car. The tool on our website and the registration form show which chargers we currently support. If you do not have a compatible charger, you unfortunately cannot participate yet.
Not sure whether your charger has a MID-certified meter? Check the product specifications: the manual or declaration of conformity should reference EU Directive 2014/32/EU. Your installer can also confirm it, and the NEa explains on its website how to demonstrate this.
We do not support DIY or retrofit solutions, even when the meter is technically MID-certified. Neither we nor our independent verifier can verify these remotely, and we want to avoid your charging sessions being rejected later.
Can I participate with a lease car or company car?
Yes, in most cases, you can. What matters is whose name the electricity connection is registered under, not who owns the car. If the energy contract is in your name, you can participate. Do check your lease agreement or arrangements with your employer, as there may be existing agreements about the reimbursement of charging costs that you do not want to conflict with.
Can I participate as a tenant (rented property)?
Yes, provided that you have your own charger with a MID meter and the electricity connection is registered in your name. If you have permission from the landlord to install a charger and you personally pay the electricity bill (with invoices in your own name), you're set.
What if the energy contract is not in my name?
Then you cannot claim EREs yourself. The ERE-certificates are registered on the basis of the electricity connection (EAN), and that must officially be in the name of whoever signs the authorization. If the energy contract is in the name of, for example, your partner or housemate, that person can register, or you can transfer the energy contract into your name.
Does this also work with a shared charger (Homeowners' Association, parking garage)?
Only the party whose name is on the electricity contract can claim EREs. With a homeowners' association (HOA) that is usually the association itself, so the HOA registers through a business account. We show the EREs earned per charger, so the HOA can settle the proceeds with the users of those chargers.
The settlement itself is arranged by the HOA; an automated distribution to individual residents is not yet supported. The same principle applies to public chargers: only the operator can claim EREs, not the driver charging there.
My charger isn't installed yet. Can I sign up in advance?
Definitely, in that case we will keep you posted about relevant updates. You can already sign up through our form and indicate the type of charger. Once your charger is installed, you connect it to your account. Signing up is free and without obligation.
Can I participate if I don't have a smart meter at home yet?
No, a smart meter in your meter cabinet is currently required to participate with Voltico. We need to be able to verify with certainty that your charging sessions and electricity consumption are accurate, and we perform multiple checks to do so. This is only possible with a smart meter, which means we unfortunately cannot support older analogue meters.
Since January 1, 2026, legislation has come into effect requiring older meters to be replaced with smart or digital meters.
When can I actually participate?
You can sign up without obligation now. You start earning EREs once you have signed the authorization and your charger is connected to our system, which is step two: the onboarding. It cannot start earlier, because the final legislative change is being completed shortly and the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) still has to reopen its register. Until then no company can register EREs, Voltico included.
The ERE system applies retroactively from 1 January 2026. The REV register is currently closed because of the previous calendar year's closing and the adjustments for the new scheme. You will receive an invitation from us as soon as the onboarding phase opens.
To register kWh with the NEa we need reliable source data, which we read in real time through a direct connection with your charger. Manual uploads of historical sessions, such as CSV files, therefore cannot be included.
How to sign up and connect
How do I sign up?
Signing up takes two steps. Step 1 is a non-binding registration of about five minutes: on our site you enter your contact details and address, select your charger brand, and accept the terms. No obligations, no costs. Step 2 is the full onboarding, about ten minutes.
During onboarding you confirm your charger, location and EAN code and your meter details, take a photo of the charger, and upload your energy bill and ID. Finally you digitally sign the authorization agreement. After that we can register your charging sessions and pay out your EREs.
How much time does signing up take?
Non-binding registration takes about five minutes. The next and final step, your full onboarding, takes about 10-15 minutes.
What do I need to have at hand?
For the registration (step 1): contact details, address, brand and model of your charger.
For the full onboarding (step 2, coming soon):
a recent energy bill with EAN code
access to your meter cabinet
ID document
bank account number for the payout
photo of your charger, taken on the spot via our tool
What happens after my registration?
After the registration (step 1) you do not need to do anything for now: you will automatically receive a message from us as soon as the full onboarding can start. This second step is expected to be in June or July 2026, once the final legislative change is in place and the NEa register is open again. In the invitation we will explain exactly what you need to do to connect your charger.
What is the authorization I have to sign?
With the authorization, you give Voltico formal permission to register charging sessions on your behalf with the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa), to read the associated (charging) data, and to sell your EREs. In addition, you give the NEa and the verifier permission to carry out checks, for example at your grid operator. The law requires this authorization to be given for at least one full calendar year, comparable to the choice for a health insurer once per year.
Am I committed to anything when I sign up?
Signing up through our website is entirely without obligation. You only commit to Voltico as your emission credit service provider once you successfully complete the full onboarding. From that moment the authorization applies for the current calendar year, 1 January through 31 December. After that you are free to cancel or switch. No connection costs, no cancellation fees.
Voltico deliberately works only with annual contracts: we would rather leave the decision to renew to you, based on a good experience rather than on small print. The ERE authorization system works comparably to health insurance, where an authorization is valid for one full calendar year at a time.
Behind the scenes: how it works
What exactly is an ERE?
ERE stands for “Emissiereductie-eenheid” (Emission Reduction Equivalent). One ERE represents one kilogram of CO₂ that was not emitted thanks to electric driving instead of driving on petrol or diesel. Fuel suppliers must hand in a legally fixed number of these EREs each year to comply with their sustainability obligations. More information can be found on the website of the Dutch Emission Authority.
Why do I have to do this through Voltico and not by myself?
The ERE market is not directly accessible to individuals. The NEa requires a registering party to process at least 2 million kWh per year, or to represent at least 200 individuals. In addition, there must be an annual review by an independent verifier. An individual household does not reach those volumes and would spend more on administrative costs than the earnings. Voltico bundles your charging sessions with those of thousands of others, and handles the entire administration.
Who buys my EREs?
Fuel suppliers, mostly large oil companies. They can earn EREs themselves by blending in biofuel, or they can buy EREs from electric charging. These two are mutually substitutable, which creates a market price. Voltico sells your EREs via reputable brokers to get the best price for you.
What does Voltico do exactly for me?
We connect to your charger, read your charging session data, and validate it against official requirements. This way we prevent errors and rejections during verification (and therefore missed payouts). We also translate the charging sessions into EREs, arrange the mandatory annual review, sell the EREs on the market, and pay the earnings out to you. You charge your car, we do the rest.
What is an emission credit service provider?
An emission credit service provider is a specialised party, recognised by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa), that registers EREs on behalf of others and trades them on the market. It is the intermediary between charger owners and fuel suppliers, the contact point for the annual review by an independent verifier, and remains legally responsible for the correctness of the process.
Individuals cannot fulfil this role themselves under the law; it is reserved for emission credit service providers such as Voltico. The customer's role is limited to signing up, signing the authorization, and charging their car.
Does grey electricity also count?
Yes. Electric charging always reduces CO₂ compared with petrol or diesel, including with ordinary grid electricity. Grid electricity is a mix of renewable and fossil-based power; for 2026 the renewable share stands at 50.5%. The ERE calculation counts only that renewable portion. So for every kWh you charge at home, you receive EREs based on that 50.5%.
That share grows every year, so your ERE earnings grow with it automatically. Have a green electricity contract? The national 50.5% still applies: by law the ERE calculation always uses that national average, regardless of your individual contract.
Data and privacy
What data do you read from my charger?
Only technical charging data: for each session the number of kWh, timestamp, session ID. Further we read out charger data (for example the charger's type number). We do not, for instance, track who is charging or with which charge card.
Can Voltico see where I drive or when I'm at home?
No. We don't have access to your car, your driving behaviour, or your location away from home. We only see what happens at your own charger, so how many kWh have been charged at which moment.
Who owns my data? With whom do you share my data?
You. Voltico uses your charging data solely for registering, selling and verifying your EREs. The law requires that the NEa and the independent verifier must be able to inspect the data for verification. We do not sell your data to others, nor share it with third parties.
How secure is the connection with my charger?
The connection with your charger runs via secure digital protocols that are also used in the financial sector (with banks and insurers). All data is processed and stored encrypted. We are externally audited annually on information security.
Rules, control, and certainty
Under what supervision is Voltico?
Voltico is registered as an emission credit service provider with the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa). The NEa checks whether we comply with the rules and can, on the basis of the authorization, request data directly from grid operators. We are also audited annually by an independent verifier. The NEa can correct incorrect registrations up to five years back and impose a penalty payment or fine for violations.
The verifier examines, at our office and on a sample basis at customers at the charging location, whether the administration and authorizations are in order.
Alongside this oversight, we manage sales proceeds through a third-party account, separated from Voltico's own account. That account is therefore protected in the event of problems. Voltico is also financially healthy and has solid partners.
What if the law changes?
The ERE system is formally established in the Netherlands until 2030; the underlying climate goals are set until 2050. The European Climate Law requires a climate-neutral EU by 2050, and encouraging electric driving through tradable EREs is an effective instrument for that. Details may change along the way, such as evidence requirements or calculation methods, but the basis is solid.
The Dutch House of Representatives has expressed the wish to extend the scheme until 2035, and neighbouring countries such as Germany and France are working on comparable obligations towards 2040.
Voltico tracks these developments and adjusts the platform automatically, so you keep complying with the rules without having to do anything yourself.
What is RED III and what does it mean for me?
RED III is the European directive on renewable energy that came into force in the Netherlands in 2026. For you, this mainly means that the system is now also open to individuals. Under the previous version of the directive, RED II, this market was only accessible to large companies.
How can I be sure I'm not signing something wrong?
The authorization you sign contains standard elements as prescribed by law. You give Voltico the right to register your charging sessions and realise EREs, nothing more.
Signing up for Voltico (step 1) is completely non-binding; you only sign the authorization in step 2, during full onboarding.
Is this really sustainable, or a form of greenwashing?
No, this is not greenwashing but compliance with a firm and rising legal obligation. Each year fuel suppliers must meet a defined reduction level: either by reducing themselves, for example with biofuel, or by taking over reductions from parties that demonstrably drive or charge cleaner. Every ERE represents one verified kilogram of CO₂ not emitted compared with fossil fuels.
Greenwashing is about sustainability claims without measurable impact. This system is the opposite: the result is measured, recorded, verified and legally enforced. That means emission reduction happens where it is most effective, in practice rather than on paper.
What if…
What if I move?
Let us know via the portal. At your new address we connect your new charger and connection, provided they are also suitable. The EREs you have earned at your old address remain yours and will be paid out. On your new address, your energy contract must be under your own name again.
What if I sell or get rid of my electric car?
That does not have to matter, as long as your charger is still being used. Are you getting a new electric car, or are visitors still charging via your charger? Then you continue to earn EREs. Which electric car you actually plug in does not matter.
What if my charger breaks or is replaced?
Let us know as soon as your new charger is installed, and we’ll connect it. During any period without a working charger, no EREs can be registered, of course. If you replace your charger with a different model, please check whether the new one also has a MID-certified meter. You can use the tool on our website to see which chargers we currently support.
What if my charging data doesn't come through correctly at some point?
Our system automatically checks incoming data for anomalies. If something looks wrong you receive a notification by email or in the portal, so in most cases you can resolve it yourself. If not, get in touch with us. What happens to the affected charging session depends on the cause.
If the measurement itself is incorrect, we unfortunately cannot include that session. If the measurement is correct but the data did not arrive in time, we may still be able to retrieve and register it.
What if I charge at a public charger on the road?
You do not receive compensation for charging your EV at a public charger through Voltico. We only register charging sessions that take place on your home charger. Fast chargers and public charging stations fall under different schemes, where the charger operator usually claims the EREs themselves.
How do I cancel or switch to another provider?
You sign a one-year contract with us. Under the applicable regulations, our contracts are legally valid for at least one full calendar year (1 January through 31 December). You can cancel at any time via the portal, effective from 31 December, and switch to another provider from 1 January of the following year. Switching mid-year is not possible, as the law allows only one authorization per EAN per calendar year.
What if Voltico itself stops?
In the unlikely event that Voltico stops operating as an emission credit service provider, your EREs earned up to that point are simply paid out, and you can register with another provider. We manage the sales proceeds via a third-party account, separated from Voltico's own account. That account is therefore protected in case of problems. Voltico is financially healthy and has solid partners.
