Glossary

ERE glossary

The key terms around ERE certificates, EV charging stations and booking service providers — explained clearly.

New to the world of ERE? Below we explain the terms you'll come across when comparing booking service providers and earning from your charging station.

Basics & regulation27 Money & contract25 Technology & charge point12

Basics & regulation

ERE (Emission Reduction Units): An ERE (emission reduction unit) is the Dutch unit for verifiably saved CO2 in transport: one ERE represents one kilogram of avoided CO2 emissions. Fuel suppliers must purchase EREs to meet their statutory reduction obligation, which makes an ERE valuable, even for those who own a charging station.More about ERE (Emission Reduction Units)
HBE (Renewable Fuel Units): Until 2025, an HBE (renewable fuel unit) was the Dutch unit used by fuel suppliers to demonstrate that they supplied renewable energy for transport: one HBE represented one gigajoule. As of 1 January 2026, the HBE has been replaced by the ERE.More about HBE (Renewable Fuel Units)
Booking service provider (booker): A booking service provider is a company registered with the NEa that books loaded kWh into the Register Energy for Transport on behalf of charge point owners, sells the resulting EREs, and pays out the proceeds after deducting a commission. Private individuals cannot book themselves and therefore always need a booking service provider.More about Booking service provider (booker)
NEa (Dutch Emissions Authority): The NEa (Dutch Emissions Authority) is the supervisory body that implements the rules for energy in transport in the Netherlands, manages the Register Energy for Transport, and supervises booking service providers and their bookings. The rules themselves are established by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.More about NEa (Dutch Emissions Authority)
Emissions market (ERE): The emissions market is the market on which EREs are traded: booking service providers and traders sell, fuel suppliers buy to meet their statutory reduction obligation. The price is determined by supply and demand and partly determines your remuneration per kWh.More about Emissions market (ERE)
Fuel Transition Obligation (BTV): The Fuel Transition Obligation (BTV) is the Dutch legal requirement, in force since 1 January 2026, for fuel suppliers to reduce the CO2 emissions of the fuel they place on the market each year by a fixed percentage: from 14.4% in 2026 to 28.4% in 2030. EREs are the proof by which they demonstrate this reduction.More about Fuel Transition Obligation (BTV)
Booking-in: Booking-in is the process of registering supplied renewable energy, such as charged kWh, in the NEa's Energy for Transport Register, so that EREs are created for it. Only registered bookers are allowed to book-in; as a charging station owner, you have this done by a booking-in service provider.More about Booking-in
Double booking: Double booking is the registration of the same charged kWh twice with the NEa, for example, via two booking service providers. This is not permitted; therefore, you can only be registered with one booking service provider per electricity connection at a time.More about Double booking
RED III: RED III is the third version of the European Renewable Energy Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/2413), which obliges EU Member States to increase the share of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport. The directive also stipulates how those emissions and savings are calculated.More about RED III
REV (Register for Energy for Transport): The REV (Register for Energy for Transport) is the NEa's digital register in which bookers register renewable energy and in which EREs are created, credited, and traded. An entry service provider needs an account in the REV to be able to register loaded kWh.More about REV (Register for Energy for Transport)
NEa audit: A NEa audit is a check by the Netherlands Emissions Authority on the accuracy of renewable energy bookings, in addition to the annual verification by an independent verifier. A booking service provider must be able to demonstrate with certified measurement data that the booked kWh are correct.More about NEa audit
GoO (Guarantee of Origin): A Guarantee of Origin (GoO) is a certificate proving that a megawatt-hour of electricity has been generated from a renewable source, such as solar or wind. Energy suppliers buy GoOs to be allowed to sell electricity from the grid as green electricity; CertiQ issues them in the Netherlands.More about GoO (Guarantee of Origin)
Subsidy (ERE): A subsidy is a financial contribution from public funds. The ERE payment is not a subsidy: no government money is involved, fuel suppliers pay for EREs because they are legally obliged to meet a reduction target. Therefore, there is no subsidy pot that can run out.More about Subsidy (ERE)
Emission Allowances (ETS): Emission allowances are tradable rights to emit one tonne of CO2 within the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Large emitters such as power plants, industry and aviation must surrender one allowance for every tonne of emissions; the total number of allowances decreases each year, making emissions increasingly expensive.More about Emission Allowances (ETS)
Renewable share: The renewable share is the percentage of loaded electricity that counts as renewable for the ERE calculation. For electricity from the grid, the NEa uses the average of the Dutch grid mix, which is determined annually, regardless of solar panels or a green electricity contract.More about Renewable share
Fuel Supplier: A fuel supplier is a company that markets fuel for transport, such as petrol, diesel, LPG, or kerosene, usually through its own service stations or by supplying resellers. In the Netherlands, these include Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Esso, and independent traders.More about Fuel Supplier
Annual Obligation for Energy in Transport: Until 2025, the Annual Obligation for Energy in Transport was the Dutch requirement for fuel suppliers to source a portion of their energy supplies for transport from renewable sources, evidenced by HBEs. As of 1 January 2026, it has been replaced by the Fuel Transition Obligation, with the ERE as the unit. More about Annual Obligation for Energy in Transport
ERE per kWh (conversion factor): The ERE per kWh conversion factor indicates how many EREs one charged kilowatt-hour yields. For electricity from the grid, this is just over 0.33 ERE per kWh; only electricity renewably generated at the charging location itself or supplied via a direct line yields double. The NEa determines the factor annually.More about ERE per kWh (conversion factor)
Private and business: Private and business is the distinction with which the comparison starts: a private individual charges at home on a connection in their own name and sees tariffs including 21% VAT; a business charging point belongs to a company, owners' association (VvE), or employer and sees tariffs excluding VAT. Only business can count as 100% renewable under certain conditions.More about Private and business
Home Charger: A home charger is someone who charges an electric car using their own charging station at their home address, rather than at a public charging point or at work. Most EV drivers with a driveway or garage are home chargers and charge the majority of their miles at home.More about Home Charger
Entitled party (ERE): The entitled party is the person or organisation that receives the ERE reimbursement: the one in whose name the electricity contract for the electricity connection is registered, as recorded in the Central Connection Register. For a charging station at work, this is usually the employer.More about Entitled party (ERE)
Owners' Association (VvE): An Owners' Association (VvE) is the legally mandated collaborative body of apartment owners that manages the common parts of a building, such as the roof, the lift, and the car park. Charging stations in a shared garage usually run on the VvEs connection.More about Owners' Association (VvE)
Authorisation (ERE): The authorisation is the permission you give to a booking service provider to read your charging data and book your charged kWh on your behalf with the NEa. The authorisation is valid for a minimum of one full calendar year and always runs until 31 December inclusive.More about Authorisation (ERE)
NEa list (list of booking service providers): The NEa list was the public list of booking service providers that had registered with the Dutch Emissions Authority. Since October 2026, the NEa no longer publishes the list; ERE-Vergelijk retains the last version and maintains the provider overview itself. Inclusion on the list was a registration register, not a quality mark.More about NEa list (list of booking service providers)
Reseller (ERE): A reseller is a provider of registration services who does not have an account themselves in the Register for Transport Energy and arranges the registration through an underlying party who does have such an account. The reseller is your contracting party, but not the party who registers with the NEa.More about Reseller (ERE)
Verifier (ERE): A verifier is an independent auditor who checks the annual bookings of a booking service provider: are the booked kWh correct and are the connections registered in the names of the customers? Every booker must have a verification statement before 1 April. The NEa supervises the verifiers.More about Verifier (ERE)
Booking deadline (1 March): The booking deadline is the final date by which charged kWh from a calendar year can be booked with the NEa: 1 March of the following year. What has not been booked by then will no longer yield EREs.More about Booking deadline (1 March)

Money & contract

Commission (ERE): The commission is the percentage that a booking service provider withholds from the sales revenue of your EREs, as remuneration for registration with the NEa, verification and sale. For private individuals, the commission includes VAT.More about Commission (ERE)
Service Costs (ERE): Service costs are fixed or periodic fees that a booking service provider charges in addition to or instead of a commission, for example, an amount per month, per year or per charging point. They are deducted from your ERE revenue, regardless of the market price.More about Service Costs (ERE)
Payout frequency (ERE): The payout frequency is how often a booking service provider transfers your ERE compensation: monthly, quarterly, or annually. Monthly or quarterly payments usually require an automatic data connection to your charging station; with manual submission, payouts are typically annual.More about Payout frequency (ERE)
Contract term (ERE): The contract term is the period for which you enter into a contract with a registration service provider. According to the NEa, for home chargers, this is a minimum of one full calendar year, up to and including 31 December; providers also offer fixed terms of two to five years, often with a lower commission.More about Contract term (ERE)
ERE remuneration (charging station remuneration): The ERE remuneration is the amount you receive from your booking service provider for the EREs generated with your charged kWh, usually expressed per kWh. The amount depends on the ERE market price, sales costs, commission, and any service fees.More about ERE remuneration (charging station remuneration)
Net revenue (ERE): Net revenue is what you get out of your charging station after all deductions: the sales revenue from your EREs minus sales costs, commission, and service fees. ERE-Vergelijk converts all offers to net revenue so that you can fairly compare providers with different cost models.More about Net revenue (ERE)
Fixed kWh remuneration: A fixed kWh remuneration is a revenue model where a booking service provider pays a fixed amount per kWh charged, irrespective of the current ERE market price. You know exactly what you will receive in advance, but you do not benefit if the market price increases.More about Fixed kWh remuneration
Notice period (ERE): The notice period is the period between cancelling your contract with a booking service provider and its termination. After an automatic renewal, this period may not legally exceed one month for consumers.More about Notice period (ERE)
Tacit renewal (ERE): Tacit renewal is the automatic continuation of your contract with a booking service provider after its term expires, without you re-signing. After such a renewal, a consumer must be able to cancel the contract at any time with a notice period of no more than one month.More about Tacit renewal (ERE)
Indexation (ERE): Indexation is the annual adjustment of tariffs or service charges for inflation, usually based on the consumer price index (CPI) from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Some booking service providers index their fixed costs every year; this is stated in their general terms and conditions.More about Indexation (ERE)
ERE price (market price): The ERE price is the price at which EREs are traded on the emissions market. There is no official exchange rate: traders and registration service providers quote their own price, which fluctuates with demand from fuel suppliers and the supply of new EREs.More about ERE price (market price)
Calculated value (ERE): The calculated value is the single ERE price that ERE-Vergelijk uses everywhere: in the comparison tool, on the provider pages, and in the calculation examples. It is the midpoint of the range between the lowest and highest publicly quoted price, with a reference date, and is updated at least once a month.More about Calculated value (ERE)
Gross market value (ERE): The gross market value is what your EREs are worth before cost deduction: the number of EREs multiplied by the ERE price. Sales costs, commission, and any service fees are deducted from this; what remains is your net proceeds.More about Gross market value (ERE)
Sales Costs (ERE): Sales costs, also known as market costs, are the costs of selling EREs on the emissions market: approximately 1.5% of the revenue. They apply to all providers and are separate from the commission of your booking service provider.More about Sales Costs (ERE)
Subscription (ERE): A subscription is a business model where you pay your ERE service provider a fixed monthly or annual fee instead of a commission. The costs are fixed, but your revenue is not: this is advantageous with a high charging volume and a high ERE price, but with a low volume or a falling price, the fixed amount weighs heavily.More about Subscription (ERE)
Price Risk (ERE): Price risk is the risk that the ERE price will fall and your revenue will decrease. With a commission, you share that risk with your booking service provider, as their fee decreases accordingly; with fixed costs, you bear it entirely yourself; with a fixed kWh fee, the risk lies with the provider.More about Price Risk (ERE)
First payment (ERE): The first payment is the moment you receive your first ERE remuneration. This varies by registration service provider, from a few weeks after registration to after the end of the calendar year; some providers only pay out after the EREs have actually been sold.More about First payment (ERE)
Minimum purchase (ERE): Minimum purchase is a lower limit that some ERE service providers set to participate, for example, a certain number of kWh per year or a certain number of charging points. If you charge less, you cannot use such a provider.More about Minimum purchase (ERE)
Early termination (ERE): Early termination means ending your contract with a booking service provider before the end of the agreed term. Some providers do not allow this, while others charge a cancellation fee; switching to another booking service provider is, according to the NEa, only possible from 1 January.More about Early termination (ERE)
Early termination fee (ERE): An early termination fee is an amount you pay to your booking service provider if you terminate the contract before the end of its term. Some providers charge a one-off fee, others an amount per remaining contract year, and with yet others, termination is free of charge.More about Early termination fee (ERE)
General Terms and Conditions (ERE): General terms and conditions are the standard rules of a booking service provider that are part of your contract. They state how long you are tied in, how to cancel, when you will be paid, what happens if something goes wrong, and how liability is regulated. Without findable, dated terms and conditions, you are effectively signing a blank contract.More about General Terms and Conditions (ERE)
Right of withdrawal (ERE): The right of withdrawal is the legal right of a consumer to cancel a contract concluded online or remotely within 14 days without stating a reason. An ERE service provider must inform you about this; if the terms and conditions say nothing about this cooling-off period, that is a red flag.More about Right of withdrawal (ERE)
Liability cap (ERE): The liability cap is the maximum amount that a booking service provider will compensate according to their general terms and conditions if they make a mistake. This is often the amount paid out to you in the last contract year, or a fixed amount such as €250. If you lose out on more due to an error, you will not be reimbursed for the difference.More about Liability cap (ERE)
Unilateral amendment (ERE): A unilateral amendment is a clause that allows an ERE service provider to adjust its rates, commission, or calculation method during your contract without your consent. A good clause specifies the commission percentage and the basis for calculation, and gives you the right to cancel free of charge in the event of a materially detrimental change.More about Unilateral amendment (ERE)
Expiry period (ERE): An expiry period, also known as a complaint period, is the timeframe within which you must report a complaint or damage to your booking service provider; after this period, your right to compensation expires. Twelve months is not unreasonable, but some providers apply much shorter periods, such as 60 days or three months.More about Expiry period (ERE)

Technology & charge point

Smart charging (smart charge point): A smart charge point is a charge point that is connected to the internet and automatically registers and transmits its charging sessions, for example, to an app or a back office. Smart charging also means that the charge point controls the charging moment or power based on electricity price, solar yield, or grid load.More about Smart charging (smart charge point)
MID meter: A MID meter is a calibrated kWh meter that accurately and legally reliably measures how much electricity has been supplied, in accordance with the European Measuring Instruments Directive (2014/32/EU), so that the measurement may be used for billing purposes. It is often built into charging stations, sealed by the manufacturer.More about MID meter
kWh (kilowatt-hour): A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the unit in which electrical energy is measured: the amount consumed by a 1,000-watt appliance in one hour. For an electric car, the number of kWh charged indicates how much electricity has gone into the battery; an average EV consumes 15 to 20 kWh per 100 kilometres.More about kWh (kilowatt-hour)
EAN code: An EAN code is a unique 18-digit code that identifies an electricity or gas connection in the Netherlands. You can find it on your energy contract or annual statement and in the public EAN code book. Energy suppliers and grid operators use the code to link a connection to the correct contract holder.More about EAN code
OCPP (cloud connection): OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is the open standard that allows charging stations to communicate remotely with a back office or cloud platform, to transmit charging sessions and receive settings. Virtually all modern charging stations support OCPP, allowing them to work with various platforms.More about OCPP (cloud connection)
EN 50470-3: EN 50470-3 is the European standard for electronic kWh meters for billing purposes. The standard defines accuracy classes A, B, and C and is the technical basis against which MID-certified electricity meters are tested; the designation is often found on the meter's or charging station's nameplate.More about EN 50470-3
Allocation point (ERE): An exclusive allocation point is a split from a grid connection, made by the grid operator, behind which only the charging station consumes, with its own MID-certified meter. It is the only situation in which the NEa allows a charging station without its own built-in MID meter to be registered.More about Allocation point (ERE)
Charging Volume (ERE): Charging volume is the number of kWh you charge per year via your charging station. It is the most important input for the comparison tool, as your ERE revenue is determined by charging volume, ERE price, and the provider's costs.More about Charging Volume (ERE)
Nameplate: The nameplate is the sticker or plate with product information on a device: brand, type, serial number, electrical specifications and quality marks such as the CE mark. On a charging station, it is usually found on the side or bottom of the housing.More about Nameplate
External MID meter (sub-meter): An external MID meter is a separate, MID-certified kWh meter located outside the charging station, for example, on a DIN rail in the meter cupboard. Since 1 January 2026, the NEa only accepts a MID meter that is integrated into the charging station itself for EREs; there is no transitional year for private individuals.More about External MID meter (sub-meter)
Meter Reading (ERE): The meter reading is the reading of the kWh meter in your charging station. If your charging station is not read automatically, you provide the meter reading yourself to your booking service provider, usually with a photo; the provider records the difference from the previous reading as charged kWh.More about Meter Reading (ERE)
Grid operator: The grid operator is the company that manages the electricity grid and connections in your region, such as Liander, Stedin or Enexis. You do not choose them; they are assigned to your address. The grid operator installs and manages the meter in your meter cabinet and handles outages and new connections.More about Grid operator