Comparing ERE providers without regret

You've decided that you want to participate in ERE registration. Not because you'll get rich from it, but because it feels like a waste to leave it on the table. Then comes the next step, and that's suddenly a lot less fun. Which provider do you choose?

Because you quickly notice that it's not just about "what do I get per kWh". It's about terms, lock-ins, control over your charger, and whether you'll still be happy with the same choice a year from now.

So let's keep it simple. Not with a spreadsheet, but with a few questions you can ask yourself before clicking agree somewhere.

What happens if you want to stop?

This is the most underestimated question of all.

You don't have to stop because you're angry. Maybe your situation changes. Different car, different employer, you move, you want to connect your charger to a different backoffice, or you find the payout too meager.

Can you leave without hassle then? Or are you locked into a contract term of one, two, or three years?

And more importantly. What happens to your charger when you leave? Does it stay online and usable? Or do you suddenly have a charger that "belongs to that one party" and that you can't easily get away from?

If a provider explains this vaguely, that's actually already your answer.

Do they pay monthly, quarterly, or only after a year?

You can live fine with annual payouts, as long as it's fair and transparent. The problem is mainly that annual payouts often come with conditions you only discover late.

Waiting a year also means a year of risk. Not just risk of price fluctuation, but also hassle if a party stops, a system changes, or simply pays out much less than you expected.

Ask yourself if you're fine with that, or if you'd rather choose a party that pays out more often. Not because you need the money, but because you see faster if things are right.

Is the amount they mention gross or net?

Many offers look better than they are because you only encounter the costs later. A lot of numbers circulate online, and often they turn out to be gross — see for example the discussion on Tweakers.

Sometimes it's a commission. Sometimes a fixed annual fee. Sometimes audit costs. Sometimes you suddenly pay for access to data or for an extra measurement setup.

You don't have to be allergic to costs. Everyone needs to make money. But you do want it to be clear.

So you don't ask "what do I earn per kWh", you ask "what do I keep after everything".

If there's no clear answer to that, then you're going to guess.

What data do they use, and how do they get it?

You don't have to be a nerd to ask this question. It's just healthy.

Do the kWh's come directly from your charger? From your backoffice? From an export file? Do you have to deliver something manually? Or does it go automatically?

And what happens when that data stream stops?

Some parties act like it's always automatic, but in practice it turns out they can only work automatically with a few specific brands or backoffices. Then you're suddenly in a puzzle you didn't ask for.

Do you need to change your current setup?

There's a very big difference between providers here.

Some can work fine with your existing situation. Your charger stays in your current backoffice and the ERE registration runs alongside it, so to speak.

Others want your charger to move to their environment. That can work, but it's a choice with consequences. Because if you want to switch later, you're not just switching "a certificate party". Then you're switching your entire software layer.

So explicitly ask if your current backoffice can stay as it is. If the answer is no, then immediately ask what that means later.

What exactly does the verifier check?

Many providers talk about "certified", "audited", "verification", as if that's a seal of approval that reassures you. Fine. But then also ask what it means in practice.

Is your individual situation assessed, or is it mainly a process check at the provider? What happens if something is rejected? Do you then get zero, or does it shift, or does it get fixed?

This isn't to be paranoid. It's because otherwise you only discover where the risk lies after the fact.

And then Plugchoice, where does that fit in?

If you've read this far, you probably notice that almost all questions are about one thing. Control.

Not control over the climate, but control over your charger and your data.

That's exactly where Plugchoice becomes relevant. Plugchoice isn't a booking service provider, but a control layer. Your charger stays connected the way you want, and you choose yourself which booking service provider you work with.

That means you're not locked to one party because your charger would otherwise go offline. You can switch without your entire setup having to move with it.

And honestly, that's exactly the kind of freedom you'd rather arrange upfront than try to get back afterwards.

A simple way to compare providers

If you want to take one thing with you, make it this set of questions. You can literally copy them and send them to a provider.

What is my net revenue after all costs? How often do you pay out? What is the contract term and how do I stop? Does my charger stay online if I stop? Do I need to change my backoffice? How do you get the kWh data, and what if that data stream stops? What happens if the verifier rejects something?

If you get clear answers to these questions, you're usually in good shape.

If you mainly get marketing, then you're probably already getting your answer too.

Read more

• ERE certificates: how does it work? — the basics of ERE explained
• ERE certificates: what to consider before connecting — before you link anything
• Booking service provider and verifier: who does what? — the roles in ERE registration
• What does ERE yield, and where does that 10 cents come from? — the math behind the rule of thumb