Net metering (netting) means offsetting the energy a solar plant exports to the grid against the energy the site imports from it. In Türkiye, this calculation was long carried out monthly for unlicensed generation plants: total exports and total imports over the month were compared. Under a 2026 regulatory change, netting for unlicensed generation plants other than residential subscribers is now carried out hourly. The change directly affects the feasibility of commercial, industrial and agricultural solar investments.
This article explains what hourly netting is, how it differs from monthly netting, who it applies to and how it should be handled in a solar proposal. For the underlying concepts, see our self-consumption and net metering article first.
What did the regulation change?
The amendment to the unlicensed electricity generation regulation was published in the Official Gazette No. 33212 of 2 April 2026. The related EPDK Board Decision No. 14531 of 30 April 2026 was published in the Official Gazette No. 33244 of 5 May 2026. Under these rules, netting is carried out hourly for unlicensed generation plants excluding residential subscribers. Subscriber groups such as industry, commercial premises and agricultural irrigation are within scope.
Monthly vs hourly netting
- With monthly netting, energy exported and imported over the month is totalled and compared. Surplus exported around midday can be offset against energy imported in the evening or at night during the same month.
- With hourly netting, the comparison is made separately for every hour. Surplus produced in an hour can only be offset against consumption in that same hour; daytime surplus does not cover night-time consumption.
The table below summarises a single day at a business in four time blocks. All values are examples.
| Time block | Production (kWh) | Consumption (kWh) | Exported | Imported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00–10:00 | 60 | 50 | 10 | 0 |
| 10:00–15:00 | 180 | 90 | 90 | 0 |
| 15:00–19:00 | 60 | 80 | 0 | 20 |
| 19:00–06:00 | 0 | 80 | 0 | 80 |
| Total | 300 | 300 | 100 | 100 |
Over the day, production equals consumption. Under monthly netting logic, the 100 kWh exported could be offset against the 100 kWh imported, bringing net imports close to zero. Under hourly netting, the 100 kWh exported during the day cannot be offset against the 100 kWh imported in the evening and at night. The site pays the grid price for 100 kWh, while the 100 kWh exported is valued separately. As that value is usually lower than the price of imported energy, savings fall.
Effect on feasibility
Under hourly netting, what matters is how much of the production is consumed in the hour it is produced; in other words, the self-consumption ratio.
- Sites that operate during the day are less affected: factories producing during working hours, businesses open during the day and irrigation pumps running in sunny hours consume most of the production in the same hour.
- Sites with high night-time consumption are more affected: for night shifts, cold storage or businesses busy in the evening, daytime surplus no longer covers night-time consumption.
- System size should be reconsidered: a system sized to cover the full monthly consumption may, under hourly netting, produce surplus at midday that has to be valued at a lower price. Sizing to the daytime load profile often gives a better payback.
- Storage and load shifting gain value: a battery raises self-consumption by moving daytime surplus into the evening, and shifting some loads into daytime hours has the same effect. For large-scale storage, see our containerised battery (BESS) guide.
How to handle it in the proposal
- Use an hourly consumption profile: base the calculation on how the site's consumption is distributed through the day rather than on the monthly bill total. Ask for meter data or shift information where possible.
- State the netting method clearly: the proposal should say whether savings are calculated under hourly or monthly netting.
- Offer a comparison: showing savings for the same system under hourly and monthly netting side by side helps the customer understand the impact of the change.
- Consider storage: compare self-consumption and payback for scenarios with and without a battery.
- State regulations as assumptions: since prices and terms can change, present them as calculation assumptions, not firm commitments.
For the other inputs to the payback calculation, see our payback period article.
Hourly netting calculations in PVAGE
In PVAGE's system and financial analysis module, production and consumption are compared hour by hour, and exported and imported energy and savings are calculated under hourly netting. For the same system, savings under hourly and monthly netting are shown side by side. When a battery is added, the change in self-consumption and savings is calculated.
The results are carried into the proposal document and the financial analysis report, so the customer can see which netting method the savings figure is based on. See the financial analysis feature page for details.