On behalf of the Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei, we conducted a comprehensive benchmark study of electricity costs for industrial consumers across eight countries: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, the UK, the US and China.
The study provides insides into the cost structure of different industrial customers in DSO and TSO level and highlights the significant relevance of taxes, levies, fees and network charges and corresponding exemptions.
The report provides a detailed view on
- network charges, taxes, levies, and exemptions,
- compensation schemes such as the indirect cost compensation (ICC),
- and electricity procurement costs today and expected in the future differentiated by consumer profiles, from large non-flexible industry to flexible electrolysers.
Key findings include:
- Large industrial consumers in the Netherlands face a clear competitive disadvantage, particularly compared to peers in Germany and France, where generous exemptions significantly lower costs.
- Electrolysers benefit most in Germany, thanks to targeted support measures. In contrast, the Netherlands currently shows the highest costs for these flexible consumers due to limited tariff flexibility.
- Medium-sized industrial users face significantly higher costs than large-sized industries due to less exemptions and higher commodity cost. Here the Netherlands rank also among the countries with the highest cost.
The comparison shows how much regulatory design especially of network charges and exemption frameworks influence costs and ultimately industrial competitiveness.
Many thanks tot he Ministry for their trust and collaboration. It’s always rewarding to support public institutions in navigating these complex questions and to contribute to the energy transition across borders.
With our in-depth expertise at the intersection of regulation, markets, and infrastructure, we help turn complexity into actionable insight, nationally and internationally. Interested? Get in touch with: Gerald Blumberg, Andreas Gelfort, Christopher Kneip
You can find the full report here.
