Net Billing in Moldova 2026 — How It Works After the 2024 Changes
Complete guide: what net billing is, how it differs from net metering, how the credit for energy fed into the grid is calculated, and what it means for solar panel owners.
On January 1, 2024, Moldova switched from net metering (contorizare netă) to net billing (facturare netă) for prosumers. If you already have solar panels or are planning to install them, this change affects you directly: the way surplus energy is compensated has changed fundamentally. This guide explains exactly how the new mechanism works, what changed compared to the old system, and whether installing solar panels still makes financial sense under current conditions.
What is net billing?
Net billing (facturare netă) is a mechanism by which a prosumer sells surplus produced energy to the national electricity grid at the average monthly purchase price set by ANRE. The difference between grid consumption and the value of energy fed in is reflected in the monthly bill.
Calculation formula: Monthly bill = (kWh consumed × consumption tariff) − (kWh exported × ANRE monthly average price). If the result is negative (you produced more than you consumed in financial terms), the difference carries over as a financial credit to the next month. Credits are not paid out in cash and reset at the end of the calendar year.
The ANRE average purchase price varies monthly — in 2024–2025 it ranged between 1.20 and 1.85 MDL/kWh, compared to the residential consumption tariff of 2.88 MDL/kWh. This means exported energy is worth approximately 40–60% of the price of energy consumed.
How Did Net Metering Work (Until 2023)?
Net metering was a physical energy exchange mechanism: every kWh fed into the grid was compensated with a kWh taken back from the grid at the same price. The grid effectively functioned as a free virtual battery.
Why it was so advantageous:
- Energy fed in during summer was "stored" and retrieved in winter at the identical price
- Prosumers paid no transport or distribution costs for "stored" energy
- Investment payback was faster
Why it ended: the scheme was financially unsustainable for suppliers. Grid costs for virtually "stored" energy were borne by other consumers. Law No. 10/2016 imposed a capacity cap — once exhausted, new net metering connections became impossible. The cap was reached, and from 2024 all new connections operate exclusively under net billing.
What Changed from January 1, 2024?
| Aspect | Net Metering | Net Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation mechanism | kWh for kWh physically | MDL at wholesale market price |
| Price of exported energy | 2.88 MDL/kWh (equal to consumption) | ~1.2–1.8 MDL/kWh (monthly ANRE price) |
| Grid costs | Borne by supplier | Included in prosumer's consumption tariff |
| Credit type | Physical (kWh) | Financial (MDL) |
| Balance reset | No reset (continuous exchange) | Resets annually |
| Strategic advantage | Seasonal virtual storage | Transparency and predictability |
| Disadvantage | Unsustainable for grid | Exported energy worth ~50% of consumed |
**Practical conclusion:** under net billing, self-consuming your own energy is twice as valuable as exporting it to the grid. The optimal strategy: size your system to cover ~90% of your annual consumption. Avoid oversizing.
How Is the Credit for Exported Energy Calculated?
Example July 2025 (peak solar production month): grid consumption 180 kWh × 2.88 MDL = 518 MDL; solar production 520 kWh total; self-consumed 180 kWh; exported to grid 340 kWh × 1.55 MDL (ANRE July price) = 527 MDL credit. July bill: 518 − 527 = −9 MDL → 9 MDL credit carried over.
Example January 2026 (minimum solar production month): grid consumption 420 kWh × 2.88 MDL = 1,210 MDL; solar production 90 kWh total; self-consumed 90 kWh → direct saving 259 MDL; exported to grid 0 kWh; credit carried from July 9 MDL. January bill: 1,210 − 259 − 9 = 942 MDL (vs. 1,210 MDL without solar).
Conclusions from examples: in summer, the system can fully cover the bill and generate credit. In winter, the contribution is smaller but real. The annual average remains favourable. Monthly ANRE purchase prices are published at anre.md, prosumer section.
Is Installing Solar Panels Worth It Under Current Conditions?
Yes — here are the concrete arguments:
**Argument 1: The maths still works.** A 5 kWp system in Chișinău produces ~6,500 kWh/year. If 70% is self-consumed (at 2.88 MDL/kWh) and 30% is exported (at ~1.5 MDL/kWh):
- Self-consumption savings: 4,550 kWh × 2.88 = 13,100 MDL/year
- Export credit: 1,950 kWh × 1.5 = 2,925 MDL/year
- Total: ~16,000 MDL/year
- Payback without subsidy: 5–6 years
- Payback with Casa Verde (50%): 3–4 years
**Argument 2: Tariffs keep rising.** The Premier Energy residential tariff rose from 1.58 MDL/kWh (2021) to 2.88 MDL/kWh (2025) — an 82% increase in 4 years. Every future tariff increase automatically improves the return on your already-installed system.
**Argument 3: The 100 MW cap is filling up.** By mid-2025, ~46 MW of the 100 MW cap had been occupied. At the current rate, on-grid systems (without batteries) may become impossible within 18–24 months. After the cap is exhausted, a battery will be mandatory — adding 30–40% to system cost.
**Argument 4: Casa Verde 2026.** The subsidy covers 50% of system cost, up to 200,000 MDL. For a typical residential system of 6–8 kWp (~108,000–145,000 MDL), the grant can reach 54,000–72,000 MDL. Total programme budget is 200 million MDL for ~1,000 households — don't delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
**Can I withdraw accumulated credit as cash?** No. Credit only reduces future electricity bills. Any positive balance remaining on December 31 resets — it is not paid out and does not roll over to the next year.
**How do I find the current month's purchase price?** At anre.md, prosumer section. The price is set monthly based on the average price on the wholesale electricity market (day-ahead market).
**Does an on-grid system work at night or during power cuts?** No. On-grid systems shut down automatically when grid voltage is absent (anti-islanding protection). At night you consume from the grid at the standard tariff. For energy independence you need a hybrid system with battery storage.
**What happens if I produce more than I consume over the whole year?** The annual surplus is lost — the financial balance resets on December 31 and is not paid. This is why it is essential not to oversize your system relative to actual consumption.
**Can I voluntarily switch from net metering to net billing?** There is no choice — all new prosumers have been automatically on net billing since 2024. Former net metering customers transitioned automatically upon contract renewal or when their individual capacity limit was reached.
**Does net billing apply in northern Moldova (RED Nord)?** Yes. The net billing mechanism is national, regulated by ANRE. Both Premier Energy (centre-south) and RED Nord (north) apply the same rules.