This Dutch family installed 8 EcoLife modules and now generates 4.5 MWh of clean electricity per year

Melanie’s family home in Diemen, just six kilometres southeast of Amsterdam, looks much like many others in the neighbourhood. However, the roof tells a different story. It now powers nearly the entire household, helping the family of four stay protected from rising energy prices while living more sustainably.

Finding independence through solar was the major aim

For Melanie, the decision to install solar wasn’t impulsive. It came after months of comparing offers, calculating savings, and asking the same questions most homeowners ask: Will it pay off? Can my roof carry it? Is it really worth the effort?

Her motivation was clear: to be less dependent on the grid and to make her home’s energy use more predictable. “It feels good to know that most of our power now comes from our own roof,” she says.

Government incentive supported the investment

The Dutch government’s 0% VAT scheme for residential solar, introduced in 2023, made the choice even more practical. Combined with rising electricity prices, the family saw a chance to invest once and save for decades. The numbers spoke for themselves: solar offered both stability and long-term return.

EcoLife bringscompact design, strong performance and reliability in every season

The installation consists of eight LONGi EcoLife panels connected to five Hoymiles microinverters. In Diemen’s mild, sunny-maritime climate, this 4 kWp EcoLife system produces about 4,500 kWh per year, saving roughly € 1,350 annually at current Dutch electricity prices. Even if feed-in tariffs fall later, self-consumed solar power will continue to cut energy bills for decades, making solar both a climate and financial win.

The Netherlands’ weather is famously unpredictable, but performance doesn’t have to be. The back-contact technology used in EcoLife panels delivers stable energy production even on cloudy or cold days. The modules are tested to withstand snow loads up to 5,400 Pa - roughly four metres of snow or the weight of an adult standing on each panel - and wind pressures up to 3,600 Pa, similar to coastal storm gusts.

What other homeowners can learn from Melanie’s example

Thinking about solar often brings the same questions: Can my roof handle it? Most pitched roofs can. A professional installer can confirm this easily, and lighter modules like EcoLife make it even safer.

Is it really worth it? With today’s prices, most residential systems reach payback in 6–9 years, then produce clean power for free for decades. You start saving from day 1.

Will it fit and look good? EcoLife’s all-black design blends naturally into residential roofs, offering high performance with a discreet aesthetic.

Melanie’s family shows how solar turns uncertainty into reassurance. Their home now produces more than it consumes, giving them both independence and a sense of pride every time the sun shines.

Watch Melanie's story here:

‍