ZonnepanelenDelen AI Overview on 09/2025

Zonhub (ZonnepanelenDelen) Platform Overview 🌞

Zonhub – formerly known as ZonnepanelenDelen – is a Dutch crowdfunding platform for sustainable energy projects. It connects everyday investors with solar parks, rooftop installations, and recently also battery and wind projects, by issuing mini-bonds (loans) to finance these installations. Investors can participate from as little as €25, making it very accessible. Returns (often called “ZonneRente”) are typically annual interest payments generated from the sale of solar power. Uniquely, many projects have a variable interest rate tied to the project’s actual energy production and electricity prices, aligning investor returns with green energy output. Key advantages of Zonhub include its low minimum, direct impact on renewable energy development, and the robust safeguards backing projects (such as government solar subsidies and insurance). The platform is fully regulated and backed by major partners, adding to its credibility (it’s licensed by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets and even counts ING Bank as a shareholder as of 2022). However, investors should be mindful of the main risks: the loans are long-term and illiquid, returns are relatively modest (reflecting the low-risk profile), and payments ultimately depend on project performance – meaning delays or lower yields can occur if a project underperforms or encounters issues. Overall, Zonhub offers a professional yet community-driven way to invest in the energy transition, but it is not a “get-rich-quick” platform – it focuses on stable, sustainable returns with safety measures, while still carrying the risks inherent to any business investment in renewable energy.

Zonhub Investment Product Details 💡

Investment Type: Zonhub primarily offers debt investments in the form of project-specific bonds (often called “ZonneDelen” or solar bonds). These are essentially loans to a solar project SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) or renewable energy company, structured as mini-bonds (securities). Investors purchase these bonds to fund a project’s installation costs, and in return receive interest payments (and principal repayments) typically over a 15-year term, reflecting the usual lifespan and subsidy period of solar projects. How returns are generated: Each project sells the electricity it produces – often under long-term government-backed subsidy schemes (like the Dutch SDE+ subsidy for renewables) – and those revenues fund the interest (“ZonneRente”) and principal repayments to investors. Classic ZonneDelen projects pay variable annual interest, e.g. with a floor ~2.5% and a cap ~4.5% IRR, depending on actual kWh output and power prices. In recent years, Zonhub expanded to also offer fixed-interest bonds: certain “Obligatie” projects provide a fixed rate (e.g. 5–8% annually) for 5–15 years, and “ZPD PRO” deals (professional projects) often have shorter terms (1–3 years) with higher fixed yields (sometimes up to ~10%) but a higher minimum investment (€250). These PRO offerings finance things like solar developers’ portfolios or battery storage ventures in Europe, and may carry slightly higher risk (including refinancing risk if short-term) in exchange for higher returns.

Investment Type: Zonhub primarily offers debt investments in the form of project-specific bonds (often called “ZonneDelen” or solar bonds). These are essentially loans to a solar project SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) or renewable energy company, structured as mini-bonds (securities). Investors purchase these bonds to fund a project’s installation costs, and in return receive interest payments (and principal repayments) typically over a 15-year term, reflecting the usual lifespan and subsidy period of solar projects. How returns are generated: Each project sells the electricity it produces – often under long-term government-backed subsidy schemes (like the Dutch SDE+ subsidy for renewables) – and those revenues fund the interest (“ZonneRente”) and principal repayments to investors. Classic ZonneDelen projects pay variable annual interest, e.g. with a floor ~2.5% and a cap ~4.5% IRR, depending on actual kWh output and power prices. In recent years, Zonhub expanded to also offer fixed-interest bonds: certain “Obligatie” projects provide a fixed rate (e.g. 5–8% annually) for 5–15 years, and “ZPD PRO” deals (professional projects) often have shorter terms (1–3 years) with higher fixed yields (sometimes up to ~10%) but a higher minimum investment (€250). These PRO offerings finance things like solar developers’ portfolios or battery storage ventures in Europe, and may carry slightly higher risk (including refinancing risk if short-term) in exchange for higher returns.

Legal & Structural Setup: Investments are typically issued by a dedicated project company – often a new B.V. (LLC) set up solely to own and operate the solar installation. This project SPV issues the bonds (sometimes called “Zon-Obligaties op Naam”) directly to investors, and it is obligated to make the interest and redemption payments from project revenues. ZonnepanelenDelen B.V. (the platform entity) acts as the facilitator and administrator but is not the debtor – so investors have a claim on the project company’s assets (e.g. the solar panels and their income). To protect investors, a security agent (Stichting ZonneDelers) is in place to represent bondholders’ interests collectively. The platform often takes pledges on assets and contracts (such as a lien on solar equipment and rights to the project’s subsidy/energy contract) and a right of superficies (to ensure access to the rooftop/land for the panels) as collateral. This structure means each project is ring-fenced: if a project owner goes bankrupt, the solar installation can continue operating and generating revenue for investors, since it’s in a standalone entity.

Focus and Scope: Zonhub’s focus has historically been on solar energy projects in the Netherlands, ranging from community solar roofs on schools and sports clubs to commercial solar farms. As of 2024, it has broadened to related sectors: projects may include battery storage installations or small wind turbines (e.g. a recent community windmill project). Geographically, the platform started domestic but is now leveraging its new EU crowdfunding license to fund projects across Europe. Indeed, Zonhub has financed solar initiatives in Germany, Italy, Romania, and other countries in the EU, partnering with local developers. Retail investors from the Netherlands have been the core users, but the platform is now open to EU investors under European passporting rules (with services available in English) – meaning someone in France, for example, can invest in a Dutch or Italian solar project via Zonhub.

Investment Terms & Metrics: Most traditional solar bonds have a maturity around 15 years, aligning with the subsidy period and expected panel degradation. During this time, investors typically receive annual interest plus repayment of principal (often structured as linear amortization – roughly 1/15 of principal per year plus interest on the remaining balance). Some newer deals (especially development loans) may have shorter durations (1–3 years) with interest and principal paid at the end (bullet or semi-annual). The expected return varies by project type: classic ZonneDelen have advertised average returns around 3–4% per year for investors. This can fluctuate; for instance, a live project’s IRR might end up ~4.1% if performance is good. Fixed-rate green bonds on the platform lately offer higher rates, e.g. 6–8% on certain battery or international projects. Minimum investment is €25 for most projects (letting even small investors diversify across many deals), while the special PRO projects require €250 minimum. There is usually no formal maximum per investor beyond regulatory limits, though in practice some projects may cap large single subscriptions to promote broad community participation.

Risk Considerations: Key risks include credit risk of the project – if a solar project underperforms or the owner defaults, investors could face delayed or reduced payments. Notably, to date the platform reports no project has defaulted outright, thanks to rigorous vetting and strong revenue guarantees, but some projects have experienced delayed interest (“ZonneRente”) payouts. Investors must accept illiquidity: these bonds are not freely tradeable on an exchange, and while Zonhub assists in finding a buyer if one wants to exit early, it requires locating another investor and paying a fee (2% admin fee, €10 min) to transfer the bond – so one’s money is essentially locked in for the duration unless a private sale is arranged. There is a risk of total loss in extreme scenarios (e.g. project bankruptcy with insufficient recoverable assets), although mitigations like insurance (projects carry property and liability insurance) and asset pledges aim to reduce this likelihood. Additionally, returns on many projects are variable; if energy prices fall or it’s an unusually cloudy year, that year’s interest could be at the low end of the range (there are conservative assumptions and P90 scenarios modelled, but variability remains). Finally, subordination risk is present: often a bank finances ~80% of the project as a senior lender, and the crowd bonds are junior (subordinated). This means if a project runs into trouble, the bank gets paid before the crowd. Zonhub does highlight these risks in each project’s prospectus or Key Information Sheet, and it conducts stress tests (e.g. “what if the power buyer or project owner goes bust?”) to ensure a project can still operate and pay investors in tough conditions. In summary, the product is moderate-risk debt: far safer than equity crowdfunding or uncollateralized loans, but not risk-free – it trades higher certainty for moderate returns, suitable for patient, impact-focused investors.

Company Background of Zonhub (ZonnepanelenDelen) 🏢

Founding and History: The platform was founded in the Netherlands in 2014 by Matthijs Olieman and Sven Pluut, two entrepreneurs with backgrounds in finance and renewable energy. The idea sprang from their firsthand experience: one co-founder worked at Triodos Bank and saw how small solar projects (<€2M) struggled to get financing, while many individuals without a suitable roof wanted to invest in solar. ZonnepanelenDelen (“sharing solar panels”) launched its online platform in early 2015 after a pilot project and seed funding round. By 2016, it had a team of ~7 and was already recognized internationally (winning a United Nations Climate Change Award for its innovative model). Over the years the company grew steadily, financing larger and more numerous solar installations, and branding itself as Europe’s largest collective solar investment platform. In October 2024, ZonnepanelenDelen underwent a rebranding to “Zonhub”, reflecting an expanded mission beyond just solar panels (incorporating energy storage, etc.) and a more streamlined identity across its investor and borrower services. The legal entity remains ZonnepanelenDelen B.V., but “Zonhub” is now the trade name for its platform.

Ownership and Investors: Zonhub is a privately held company with a mix of founder ownership and external investors. In 2020, it brought on Obton (a Danish renewable investment firm) as a strategic partner and shareholder, gaining Obton’s international solar market experience. Around the same time, the Dutch impact fund DOEN Participaties (linked to the Dutch Postcode Lottery’s green initiatives) invested in the company. A major boost came in 2022 when ING Bank became a key backer: ING’s Sustainable Investments arm, along with existing investors, injected €2.2 million in equity into ZonnepanelenDelen B.V., and ING Business Banking provided a €20 million credit facility to finance projects through the platform. This effectively made ING a shareholder and financing partner – a strong vote of confidence from a top European bank. Additionally, Rabobank, ASN Bank, BNG Bank, and other lenders have partnered on deals via Zonhub (often providing senior loans alongside the crowd bonds). The company has thus positioned itself as a “one-stop shop” for solar financing, blending community funding with institutional capital. The current ownership breakdown isn’t publicly detailed, but it’s clear the founders remain closely involved (likely significant shareholders and at the helm of management), with institutional stakeholders supporting further growth.

Management Team: The day-to-day operations are led by the founding team and a small dedicated staff. Sven Pluut (co-founder) has often been the public face, presenting at conferences and in media as a solar finance expert. Matthijs Olieman (co-founder) likewise contributes on the financial structuring side. As of 2025, the platform’s Trustpilot description indicates the company has “ruim 12,000 investeerders” and the team still considers itself lean (“we zijn met een klein team”). Key roles likely include specialists in project due diligence (many staff have renewable energy or banking backgrounds), an IT team for the platform, and customer support. An example is Edwin Res, who in earlier years engaged directly with the investor community on forums, addressing technical questions – highlighting that even mid-level team members are knowledgeable about project details. The modest size (a few dozen employees at most) means executives are hands-on. No information suggests a separate CEO beyond the founders, so it’s safe to assume one of the founders (or both as co-directors) lead the company’s strategy.

Legal Structure & Subsidiaries: ZonnepanelenDelen B.V. is the main operating entity (KVK business registry no. 56170319). It holds the regulatory licenses and runs the Zonhub platform. The platform also makes use of special-purpose entities for certain offerings – for instance, Zonlease B.V. is an entity 100% owned by ZonnepanelenDelen that was created to offer a lease product (financing solar installations for SMEs via leasing). Zonlease B.V. serves as an “issuinger” in at least one project, meaning the platform sometimes directly controls the borrower to better serve both project owners and investors (though this is a minor part of the business). Apart from that, each project SPV is technically a separate company, but those are controlled by the project developers/owners, not by Zonhub. The platform does have a foundation (Stichting ZonneDelers) as noted, which is a legal vehicle to represent investors collectively – while it’s separate, its board is effectively made up of Zonhub personnel to act on investors’ behalf if needed. It’s worth noting that funds flow through a client funds account structure: investor money is held with a payment service (Mangopay) in segregated e-wallets, not on ZonnepanelenDelen’s balance sheet. This ensures that even if Zonhub the company ran into trouble, the invested funds and repayments are protected and can be handled by a third-party trustee.

Regulation and Licenses: Zonhub is a fully regulated investment platform. It has been under supervision of the Dutch Financial Markets Authority (AFM) since mid-2018, when it obtained a license under Article 2:96 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wft) to provide investment services. Specifically, it is authorized to receive and transmit investor orders, and to place financial instruments without a firm commitment (these cover the activities of operating a crowdfunding platform for bonds). This license made it one of the first crowdfunding platforms in the Netherlands to be licensed as a MiFID investment firm, rather than operating under limited prospectus exemptions. In addition, as of 31 January 2024, ZonnepanelenDelen B.V. received the new EU Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSP) license, which is a European passport allowing it to offer crowdfunding services across all EU member states. It’s recorded in both the AFM and ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) registers under ECSP authorization number 32000024. Also in 2024, the firm obtained a license extension for custodial services (nebendienst bewaring), meaning it can safekeep client assets/funds, likely related to handling the payment flows on behalf of investors. All these licenses indicate a high level of oversight – the AFM monitors Zonhub’s conduct and compliance, and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) likely oversees certain operational aspects like anti-money laundering controls. For investors, this regulatory status provides reassurance that the platform meets capital requirements, has its governance and processes vetted, and offers complaint redress mechanisms as required by law. Zonhub openly highlights being “onder toezicht van de AFM” (under AFM supervision) and encourages users to check its registration. In summary, the company operates with full legitimacy: it’s one of the first fully licensed green investment platforms in NL and now Europe, distinguishing it from unlicensed crowdlending sites. The primary supervisor is AFM (Netherlands), and under the EU rules it can now serve cross-border investors legally.

Company Performance: Volumes, Funding and Results 📊

Zonhub has achieved significant growth over its decade of operations, making it a leader in solar crowdfunding by volume. As of the most recent data (late 2024), the platform has facilitated about €145 million in cumulative investments, funding around 300 sustainable energy projects in total. (For context, a year earlier in 2023 the site was reporting ~€120M and 278 projects, showing steady expansion.) This makes it the largest solar-focused platform in the Netherlands, and one of the largest in Europe in this niche. The number of individual investments (“ZonneDelers”) has also grown exponentially: as of mid-2025, Zonhub states it has over 12,000 active investors on the platform. This is up from about 2,200 investors back in 2016, demonstrating strong adoption by the public. The average user’s total invested capital is around €5.5k (many repeat investments per investor), which implies a very engaged community.

In terms of project outcomes, the track record so far is positive. No funded project has gone bankrupt or defaulted outright to date, which is notable in crowdfunding. The platform’s own statistics show zero “defaults” – though they transparently note that a few projects have had delays in interest payments or needed restructuring. For example, at least one early project was restructured (extended or modified terms) but still aims to deliver a positive return to investors. Importantly, these issues have been limited to “a handful of projects out of the ~300” over 10 years. Overdue payments on some projects were typically eventually caught up, and often were tied to minor operational hiccups (e.g. installation delays, or an offtaker paying late). Zonhub emphasizes that the majority of projects are performing as expected or better – on average, solar installations on the platform slightly outproduce their forecasted energy output, meaning many investors actually earn at or above the projected interest rate. As a proof point, after a few years of operation, a sample solar roof project is yielding about 4.16% annual return, a bit above its original 4% estimate.

Looking at returns for investors overall: historically, the average IRR across projects hovers around 3–5% per annum for classic solar bonds. This relatively modest yield reflects the low-risk, asset-backed nature of the investments (similar to a long-term green bond). Newer projects designated as “PRO” or high-yield might push the average up slightly, but those are balanced by many stable 3-4% deals. Notably, in 2024–2025 Zonhub has listed some short-term notes at 8–10% (for example, a 18-month bond at 10% to fund Romanian solar developments). These higher rates are exceptions targeting experienced investors, while the core portfolio remains around mid-single-digit returns. The best-case investor returns tend to occur if electricity prices spike – since variable-rate projects have upside in such scenarios – or if one invested in the few high-coupon offerings. Conversely, the worst-case realized returns so far have been in the low single digits (some projects may only achieve ~2.5–3% if production or prices stay at minimum guaranteed levels). It’s worth noting that investors also get repaid principal progressively, so their overall cash yield includes those repayments.

Other key metrics and figures: The total installed solar capacity enabled by Zonhub is substantial – over 1 million solar panels funded by the crowd as of 2022, resulting in about 2 terawatt-hours of clean electricity generated to date. This translates to a significant carbon reduction impact, something the platform often reports as part of its results. On the borrower side, Zonhub has financed projects for more than 150 different organizations (businesses, cooperatives, municipalities) by 2025, indicating a wide client base in the sustainable energy sector. The platform’s growth trajectory accelerated around 2020–2022 with the introduction of institutional capital: after securing the ING facility, Zonhub’s annual funding volume jumped and is expected to surpass €100M per year in capacity (though actual yearly figures aren’t public, the pipeline suggests scaling up).

As for defaults and losses, to reiterate: loss rate has been 0% in terms of principal – no investor has lost their invested principal on any project as of our latest information. Arrears (late payments) have occurred in a small fraction of cases (the company cites “only a handful of projects” had issues out of ~300). In those cases, Zonhub’s team “actively chases up” the project owner for payment and works on solutions. The platform’s transparency is evidenced by a public statistics page listing each project’s actual vs expected return and marking any late interest in red. This level of detail is uncommon and speaks to a data-driven approach to maintaining trust. Investor satisfaction overall seems good historically (many reinvestments), although recent service hiccups have affected sentiment (addressed later in Negative Publicity). Summarizing the performance: Zonhub has built a solid 10-year track record of financing renewable projects with no investor losses so far, delivering stable returns around 4%, and scaling up its volumes rapidly in the last few years – positioning it as a reliable platform in the European alternative investment landscape, albeit one now facing the challenges of larger scale.

Risk Management and Due Diligence Approach 🔍

Zonhub takes a cautious, engineering-driven approach to project selection in order to minimize risks for investors. Project vetting begins with strict criteria: the platform only finances “high-quality” renewable energy projects that meet technical, financial, and legal standards. For solar projects, this means they must have solid fundamentals such as a secured installation site (roof or land lease in place), quality solar panel equipment (often with performance guarantees from reputable manufacturers), and critically, a government subsidy or stable PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) to guarantee revenue. In the Netherlands, virtually all projects on Zonhub come with the SDE+ or SDE++ subsidy, which for 15 years provides a predictable price for solar power fed into the grid. This subsidy effectively ensures a baseline cash flow regardless of market electricity price fluctuations, which drastically reduces market risk. Zonhub’s team conducts financial stress tests on each project’s business case: they model P50 and P90 production scenarios (meaning a 50% or 90% probability of reaching at least that energy output) and apply conservative haircuts to generation estimates. They also simulate worst-case events (e.g. what if the power buyer or project owner fails) – ensuring that even if, say, the original solar developer went bankrupt, the project SPV can continue operations and revenue collection independently. Indeed, the contracts are structured so that if a project owner or the electricity off-taker goes under, the rights to the project and its income remain with the SPV and ultimately the investors, meaning the solar plant can keep running and selling power to a new buyer.

Quality “Secured” Structure: Every project on Zonhub is set up as project finance – the SPV’s sole purpose is to operate the installation, which increases predictability and isolates risk. Zonhub typically insists on various security measures: for example, they require a right of mortgage or pledge on the solar panels and related assets (so investors have collateral), a pledge on the energy receivables (subsidy rights and any contracts to sell power), and a right of superficies on the property (so panels can stay for the project lifetime even if the property owner changes). Additionally, each project must carry insurance – covering damage, theft, liability, etc. – to protect against unforeseen losses (like storm damage to panels). These requirements are detailed in each project’s Information Memorandum, and Zonhub’s team verifies compliance before listing. They also require that the EPC contractors and O&M (operations & maintenance) providers are reputable, ensuring the plant will be built and maintained properly.

Risk Scoring: The platform doesn’t publicly provide a simple risk score or rating grade for projects (unlike some P2P lenders). Instead, it emphasizes that all listed projects have passed their internal “high bar” for safety – effectively treating them as either acceptable or not acceptable, rather than varying risk. However, in practice, investors can infer risk differences: projects labeled “ZonneDelen” are considered very low-risk (backed by strong subsidy and often a municipal or institutional host), whereas the “PRO” projects might carry somewhat higher risk (development stage funding, or foreign projects with possibly higher returns). Zonhub addresses this by providing extensive documentation – each project has an Informatie Memorandum (IM) or Key Information Document that outlines all risks, and sometimes even an independent technical due diligence report. Investors are encouraged to read those; the platform often highlights key points like if a project’s revenue comes partly from dynamic power prices, or if there’s any construction timeline risk (which they note has been an issue sometimes – installation delays can push back the start of payments, though ultimately have minimal impact over 15 years).

Sector and Geographic Focus: By concentrating on renewable energy assets, Zonhub inherently deals with relatively predictable risk profiles – sun and wind resources have decades of data to model output. They avoid unrelated high-risk sectors; you won’t find speculative startups or consumer loans here. This specialization means they have in-house expertise for technical and regulatory risks in energy. For example, they keep abreast of policy changes like any alterations to subsidy schemes or grid constraints that could affect projects. Geographically, during their expansion into other EU countries, they likely partner with local developers (for instance, the Dispatch battery projects in Germany or solar farms in Italy/Romania have local partners). It’s expected they apply the same rigorous standards abroad, possibly even leveraging Obton’s knowledge for foreign markets. Zonhub will typically ensure any non-Dutch project has a stable revenue mechanism (e.g. long-term PPA or government contract) akin to the Dutch SDE+.

Ongoing Monitoring: After funding, Zonhub doesn’t take a passive role. They provide an investor dashboard that is linked to the project’s live performance data. Project owners are obliged to connect their solar plant’s monitoring system to Zonhub’s platform, allowing investors to see monthly production and compare against targets. This transparency means issues can be spotted early. Zonhub also budgets a service fee in each project’s financial plan (paid by the project annually) to cover ongoing administration and oversight. They use this to follow up on payments – if an interest payment is due and not received on time, Zonhub intervenes, contacting the project owner to resolve it (as noted, they’ve generally been successful, with persistent non-payment being rare). In the unlikely event of a more serious problem (project insolvency), the structure allows Zonhub or the trustee foundation to step in and potentially replace the project operator or find a buyer for the installation to protect investor interests.

Overall, Zonhub’s risk management can be summarized as “select only strong projects, structure them securely, and monitor actively.” They often use the phrase that their projects have “veel zekerheden” (many guarantees/collaterals). While no investment is without risk – which they openly acknowledge – the platform’s practices (e.g. requiring no refinancing risk by aligning loan duration with subsidy period, or ensuring the government’s climate goals back the revenue) give investors a high level of confidence that risks are well under control.

Platform Functionality and Features 💻

Zonhub’s platform is designed to make investing simple and informative, albeit with a focus on deliberate, long-term investment rather than high-frequency trading. The web interface (and associated mobile-friendly site) provides investors with several key features:

Project Listings and Analysis: All current fundraising projects are listed on the “Investeren” page, where each project has a detailed profile. This includes an overview description, key terms (interest rate, term, funding target), and downloadable documents like the Information Memorandum and contracts. Unique to Zonhub, each project is tagged if it’s a “ZonneDelen” (variable solar bond) or “Obligaties” (fixed-rate bond) or “PRO” project, so investors know the type
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Projects also display real-time progress (percentage funded) and days remaining, plus a feed of recent investments made, which adds a community feel (e.g. showing initials of investors and their short comments or reasons for investing)
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This social proof and commentary is somewhat akin to crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, but in a finance context, it helps engage users.

Investor Dashboard: Once invested, users have access to a personal dashboard (login required) where they can see all their investments, balances, and performance. This dashboard shows annual interest payouts, the remaining principal to be repaid, and importantly for ZonneDelen projects, the live production data of the solar installation
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Investors can monitor how many kWh their projects are generating and if the interest calculation is on track. The dashboard also provides tax reports: a fiscal year overview can be easily downloaded for tax declaration purposes
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According to the help center, this year statement is straightforward to get in the investments section of the account
(though some users recently complained of delays in receiving them – see Negative Publicity).

Auto-Invest and Diversification Tools: As of 2025, Zonhub does not yet publicly offer an “auto-invest” feature typical of some P2P lending platforms. All investments are made manually by the user selecting a project and amount. The platform’s philosophy has been to encourage conscious investment in specific projects, often for local or impact reasons. However, they do encourage diversification by having no transaction fees for making investments (so an investor can put €25 into many different projects without incurring costs).
The founders explicitly mention they want people to spread participations over multiple projects for risk-spread.
There are indications that as the platform grows and lists more projects (especially with EU expansion), an auto-invest might be introduced to help allocate funds based on preferences, but currently investors typically sign up for email alerts or check the site for new projects and invest manually. On third-party reviews, Zonhub has been praised for letting users filter projects (by category, status, etc.) easily on the site to find suitable ones.

Secondary Market (Resale): There is no automated secondary market exchange on Zonhub where you can trade your bonds freely. However, selling your investment is possible through a structured but manual process.
If an investor wants to exit a position before maturity, they must find a willing buyer (for example, a friend or another user – occasionally buyers can be found by posting on the platform’s internal bulletin or contacting support who might know interested parties). Zonhub will then facilitate the transfer: the seller and buyer sign a transfer agreement, the project issuer must approve the transfer, and upon payment, the platform updates the bond ownership in its registry.
For providing this service, Zonhub charges an administration fee of 2% of the transaction (with a €10 minimum, €500 cap).
This mechanism works but is not highly liquid – sales can take time and are not guaranteed. It’s mostly used in cases of personal need (e.g. an investor’s circumstances change) and is not meant for frequent trading. The platform’s new Marktplaats (Marketplace) mentioned on the site is actually aimed at buying/selling entire projects or large stakes between professional parties (like if a developer wants to sell a project to another operator), rather than retail investors trading small bonds. So retail investors should join expecting to hold until maturity in most cases, though it’s reassuring that an exit route exists if necessary.

Languages and Accessibility: The platform’s primary language is Dutch, as the majority of its investor base has been local. The website interface, project descriptions, and customer service have traditionally been in Dutch. However, with the rebranding and EU license, Zonhub introduced more English-language content. There’s an English version of the financing site for borrowers
, and some blog posts and materials appear in English. We can expect an English investor portal soon (if not already quietly available) to cater to cross-border EU investors. For now, non-Dutch speakers might need to use translation for parts of the site, but the basic financial info (numbers, terms) are universally understandable. The currency supported is Euro (€) only – all investments and returns are in EUR, since projects are European. Investors must have a Euro bank account (usually within SEPA) to transfer funds in and receive payments. On the payment side, Zonhub uses Mangopay to handle deposits: investors can top-up via iDEAL or bank transfer into their personal wallet on the platform. No cryptocurrency or multi-currency support is present (in line with being a regulated platform).

Portfolio Tracking and Notifications: Zonhub provides email updates for investors – for example, confirmation when interest is paid, or announcements of new projects launching (for those subscribed to newsletters). The dashboard shows a graph of cumulative returns and allows exporting of data for one’s records. It’s more akin to an online banking interface than a trading app – emphasizing clarity and simplicity. Each project’s page is kept up after funding, so investors can always revisit the original info and any updates or reports posted. In some cases, Zonhub’s team might post a blog-like update if a project had an issue or a big milestone (ensuring transparency).

Investor Support and Education: The site features a “Hoe werkt het” (How it works) section and an extensive FAQ/Information Center (the “Veelgestelde vragen” and support portal) covering topics from risk to how to invest, taxation, etc. They also maintain a blog with articles explaining concepts like project financing and the structure of ZonneDelen
, or discussing industry developments relevant to investors (e.g. policy changes or market trends). For tech-savvy users, the platform doesn’t currently have a native mobile app, but the website is mobile-responsive and there’s mention of a ZonneDelen app historically (which was mainly for monitoring production). Possibly, with the rebrand, a new Zonhub app may be in development to integrate investing and monitoring in one.

No Guarantee or Insurance for Investments: Unlike some P2P lending sites that offer buyback guarantees or provision funds, Zonhub offers no such guarantees – they are clear that investing carries risk. Each project stands on its own merits. The platform’s role is to mitigate risk via structuring, not to insure investors against losses. There’s also no concept of a “auto-diversification” pool or fund (though interestingly, competitor reviews mention Zonhub having an “eigen fonds” – this seems to be a misunderstanding; Zonhub itself doesn’t operate a fund for retail, but it does sometimes co-finance with a fund or allow a bank fund to invest alongside).

Expert Analysis Tools: For each project, Zonhub often provides an interactive calculator or chart in the documentation, showing expected cash flows. While they don’t have third-party analyst reports, the information given is detailed enough for investors to do their own analysis. The presence of partners like ING and technical details in the IM gives an additional layer of confidence that projects have been scrutinized by professionals.

In summary, Zonhub’s platform might not have all the bells and whistles of some fintech apps (no instant trading, limited automation), but it offers a robust, transparent experience tailored to long-term impact investors. The focus is on ease of use (simple investing process), clarity (detailed project data), and control (dashboard monitoring). Features like manual secondary transfers and lack of auto-invest reflect the ethos of carefully choosing projects rather than volume trading. And given the platform’s expansion, we may see further development in user features (perhaps multi-language support, or an auto-invest for those wanting set-and-forget diversification in the future). For now, investors appreciate that Zonhub provides comprehensive insight and hands-on control over their green investments, albeit requiring a bit of patience and engagement on the investor’s part.

Fees and Pricing Transparency 💶

Zonhub’s fee structure is relatively straightforward and investor-friendly, with the majority of costs borne by project initiators (the borrowers) rather than investors. Here’s a breakdown of the pricing:

Fees for Investors: Retail investors pay no upfront or ongoing fees to invest on Zonhub. Creating an account is free, and there are no transaction fees or commissions charged when you make an investment in a project (100% of your money goes into the bond). This is a deliberate choice to encourage even small investments and diversification. There are also no annual account fees or management fees for investors – maintaining your portfolio on the platform is free. The platform earns from the project side, not by charging investors a cut of their interest. One exception is if an investor chooses to sell their bond to another investor before maturity: Zonhub charges a 2% administration fee on that secondary transfer (with a minimum of €10, max €500) for handling the paperwork and registry update. But this fee is only incurred if you actively request and complete a secondary sale; if you hold to maturity, you won’t pay it. There are no withdrawal fees for getting your interest or repayments – those are simply paid out to your bank account or wallet. Also, depositing funds (via bank transfer or iDEAL) is free; Zonhub doesn’t charge for loading your account or for cashing out uninvested funds. In short, for a typical investor who invests and holds to term, Zonhub provides its service at no direct cost – all your returns are yours.

Fees for Project Owners (Borrowers): Zonhub charges project developers/companies a fee for raising capital on the platform. This usually comes as a success fee (placement fee) which is a percentage of the amount raised. While the exact percentage isn’t published on the website, we can glean from project budgets that it’s around 2–3% of the funding volume. For example, one project’s documentation showed “2.3%: transaction costs for obtaining the crowdfunding” as part of the total project cost. This likely encompasses Zonhub’s fee plus any legal costs for issuing bonds. In another analysis, a 2.5% fee was mentioned as the cost of crowdfunding. Compared to general market standards (5%+ is common on some platforms), Zonhub’s fees to borrowers appear relatively low – possibly because they aim to be competitive with bank financing and because they also earn revenue through arranging larger co-financing deals. Additionally, borrowers may pay a listing fee or due diligence fee upfront (to cover credit checks, etc.), but this is not clearly stated publicly. It’s implied that costs are “budgeted into the project’s financial plan” – meaning the interest rate offered to investors is net of fees, and the borrower effectively pays the fee out of the funds raised or project budget.

There’s also mention of a service fee each year: in each project’s business case, a small amount is reserved annually to pay Zonhub for ongoing administrative services. This might be, for instance, 0.1% of the loan outstanding or a flat few hundred euros – ensuring Zonhub gets compensated for managing payouts and monitoring. If Zonhub were to fail, that reserved service fee can be used to hire another party to continue servicing the loan. But from the project’s perspective, it’s a cost line item.

Performance or Success Fees: Zonhub does not take a cut of the interest paid – investors get the full advertised interest. The platform’s earnings are not dependent on project performance beyond the initial arrangement. There’s no “carry” or performance fee like in some funds. Thus, their incentive is mostly up-front to fund good projects, rather than charging more if a project yields more.

Transparency: The platform is fairly transparent about pricing in that each project’s IM or prospectus usually outlines the costs of the issue, including the platform fee. For example, prospectuses list the percentage allocated to transaction costs (which include Zonhub’s commission). Zonhub also openly states that it has two revenue streams: one from arranging the financing (fees from borrower) and one from annual servicing (paid by the project). On the investor side, the absence of fees is clearly a selling point and is often mentioned in FAQs (e.g., “We rekenen geen transactiekosten voor investeerders”). This information is available in their support center and marketing materials.

Comparison and Fairness: For investors, this fee model is very favorable – effectively you earn gross interest. It contrasts with some other platforms that might charge investors a 1% entry fee or a yearly management fee on their portfolio. Here, none of that applies. For project owners, paying ~2-3% to access capital is also relatively low cost when considering that they might be combining it with bank loans (and the platform helps arrange that synergy). Additionally, by involving the crowd, project owners often get intangible benefits (community goodwill, future customers, etc.), which can offset the fee in their view. The platform’s partnership with banks might also mean some cost-sharing – e.g., if a bank provides 80% of the financing and Zonhub 20%, the overall cost of capital can be blended to be attractive.

No Hidden Costs: There are no hidden charges like account closure fees or subscription fees. The only potential “surprise” could be if an investor sells on the secondary market and wasn’t aware of the 2% fee – but that process is manual and involves communication with Zonhub, so they would certainly disclose it at that time. The interest earned is paid gross; investors might need to handle their own taxes (the platform provides statements but doesn’t withhold taxes, since in the Netherlands interest from these bonds falls under wealth tax, not income tax).

In summary, Zonhub’s pricing model is simple and transparent: investors invest for free (platform profits from borrowers), and borrowers pay a modest percentage fee for the service. All fees and costs are either disclosed in project documents or can be obtained from the platform. The alignment is such that Zonhub only succeeds when projects successfully raise funds (they get their success fee) and when projects are properly serviced (they get their annual fee), aligning with both investor and borrower success. This clarity in pricing, combined with regulatory oversight, means there are no red-flag fees or sneaky charges – a retail investor can be confident that the platform won’t erode their returns with unexpected fees.

Negative Publicity and Concerns ⚠️

While Zonhub has a strong track record on the investment side, it has faced some public criticisms and issues, particularly in recent times as it scaled up. Here are the main negative points that have surfaced:

1. Customer Service and Payment Delays: In 2025, several investors voiced frustration about late interest payments and poor communication from Zonhub. On Trustpilot – where the platform currently has a relatively low rating of 2.3 out of 5 (with a majority of 1-star reviews) – common complaints include “rentes veel te laat betaald” (interest paid far too late in many cases) and “dramatisch” communication. One detailed review (July 2025) described that in half of their projects, interest was paid much later than scheduled and that when the user inquired, the responses were unsatisfactory or non-existent. The reviewer also noted that formal complaints went unanswered beyond the promised 5-day window, and excuses like “I was on vacation” were given for lack of response. This review concluded that “Zonhub lijkt de weg kwijt” (Zonhub seems to have lost its way) and even speculated whether the chaos was due to financial problems.

   Zonhub’s management did publicly respond to these criticisms. In replies on Trustpilot, the company denied having any financial issues and apologized for the poor service, attributing it to being a small team stretched thin. They pointed out that they have over 12,000 investors and most are happy, often reinvesting, citing that as evidence that they are not an “amateuristic company”. Zonhub acknowledged that investing is never without risk and emphasized that the project owners are responsible for payments, with Zonhub chasing them if they default on terms. They stated that out of ~300 projects, only a “handful” had such payment issues in the past decade, trying to put the delay problem in context. Nonetheless, the spate of complaints in mid-2025 suggests perhaps some growing pains: possibly the platform took on more projects (especially international ones) and had trouble keeping up with customer support and payment tracking. Some users also noted confusion around the new wallet system (Zonhub migrated payments to a Mangopay wallet, requiring some investors to verify accounts on a partner platform, which led to temporary access issues to their funds if not verified). For instance, one user mentioned not receiving their 2024 interest and not getting a clear answer; Zonhub replied that the 2024 payment was actually made and was sitting in an online wallet managed by a third-party (CrowdAboutNow) pending the user’s identity verification. This indicates some technical/administrative hiccups during the transition to the new regulated structure (since under ECSP they likely integrated a payment service provider, requiring investors to re-verify KYC, etc.). While these issues are resolvable, they did harm the platform’s reputation among some.

2. Criticism of Returns vs. Risk (“Low Yield”): From as early as 2019, some experienced investors on forums have criticized ZonnepanelenDelen’s model for offering relatively low returns for the level of risk and long duration. On the IEX investor forum, a commenter argued that the structure “has little to do with solar panels” and is essentially a financial product that saddles investors with risks similar to equity (subordinated, dependent on project success) but only gives returns of a bond. They pointed out that the project owners or related parties keep residual upside (like panels still have value after 15 years), whereas investors don’t share in that beyond the €1 buyout clause. The phrase “hoog risico en hoge kosten, relatief laag rendement” was used – meaning “high risk and high costs, for relatively low return”. Essentially, skeptics say that for ~3-4% return, one is taking on illiquidity and project risk that might not be worth it purely financially (they argue one could buy stock in a renewables company for potentially higher returns). Zonhub’s counter to this is that there are many security measures and predictable cash flows, so the risk is actually low – thus the return is appropriate (they often say “het rendement ligt in lijn met de zekerheden”, i.e. the return is in line with the guarantees/security). Indeed, many of their investors are impact-driven and accept a lower return for environmental benefits, a sentiment echoed by users on forums who invest “from idealism”. This criticism isn’t a scandal, but it’s a caution that has been raised: prospective investors should understand these are not high-yield instruments, but rather stable, green investments.

3. Platform Rebranding and Change Management: The change from “ZonnepanelenDelen” to “Zonhub” in late 2024, and some backend changes, caused confusion. Some investors were initially unaware that ZonnepanelenDelen had renamed (the Trustpilot reviews and responses clarify “ZonnepanelenDelen is indeed since October 2024 called Zonhub”). With this came a new website (zonhub.com) and new investor portal – and apparently a new wallet system and collaboration with CrowdAboutNow (another Dutch platform) for payment handling. At least one complaint involved “I don’t understand the AFM protection” after not receiving a promised payment. This suggests some investors expected the regulator to ensure timely payout, not realizing the issue was perhaps on their end (not verifying an account) or with the project payer. Additionally, a negative review from late 2024 mentioned no yearly statements provided and no responses, which might have been a temporary slip during the transition (Zonhub does have fiscal overviews, but maybe that user had trouble obtaining them amidst the platform changes). While not major controversies, these transitions highlight communication issues that left a few users feeling unsupported.

4. Any Regulatory Sanctions or Warnings: No known regulatory sanctions have been issued against ZonnepanelenDelen/Zonhub. The company is in good standing with the AFM (indeed it successfully obtained the new ECSP license, which it couldn’t if there were serious compliance breaches). There are no AFM warning notices about them. In fact, the AFM has often cited licensed platforms as the proper way to do crowdfunding. A search for fines or warnings yielded none specific to Zonhub. So, aside from trustpilot/social media complaints, there’s no official negative mark. That said, investor forums did discuss what if Zonhub itself went bankrupt – the platform has answered that question reassuringly (funds are segregated, etc.), so that concern is mitigated.

5. Project-specific Issues: A few projects have had problems that got public attention. For example, a project involving Lightyear (a solar car company) wasn’t directly via Zonhub, but Lightyear’s bankruptcy in 2023 raised general worry about innovative solar investments – however, that was outside Zonhub’s scope (Zonhub sticks to solar energy installations, not manufacturing startups). Another example: Zonhub had a project with a Greenchoice energy supplier partnership – on Tweakers tech forum, someone asked if investing via Greenchoice’s platform (which used ZonnepanelenDelen) was safe; responses indicated to watch out for negative power prices and such, but no major red flag. Overall, there have been no public project failures like fraud or massive default associated with Zonhub, which is a strong point. The minor “handful of problematic projects” likely involved, say, a solar coop that paid late or a developer that needed a term extension. Zonhub claims in those cases, projects have still been successfully operated after overcoming hurdles.

6. Trustpilot and Reviews Summary: As mentioned, Trustpilot has only 13 reviews (at last count) with a skew towards negative in 2024 (69% 1-star). However, notably, by mid-2025, Zonhub’s own Trustpilot profile name switched to “Zonhub” and had a separate rating of 4.1/5 for Zonhub (with 8 reviews). This suggests that after rebranding, new reviews under Zonhub name were more positive, while the old ZonnepanelenDelen listing captured the complaints during the transition. It’s a bit confusing, but potential investors should read through those reviews: the negatives are mostly about service delays, not about anyone losing money. Many positive or neutral longtime investors haven’t left online reviews but in forums express contentment with the platform’s impact and reliability of payments (barring delays).

7. Criticisms in Blogs/Media: Aside from forum comments, mainstream media coverage of ZonnepanelenDelen has been positive (awards, growth news). We did not find any investigative exposé or scandal in Dutch media regarding the platform. One thing to monitor is competition: some bloggers compare Dutch crowdfunding platforms and have noted Zonhub’s relatively low returns but also low risk. One Dutch investment site gave Zonhub a decent score (7.8/10) and highlighted aspects like lacking auto-invest but having solid sustainability focus. They did not mention any red flags.

In conclusion, the biggest red flag recently has been customer support quality, not financial unsoundness. The company rapidly expanded offerings EU-wide, and some internal processes lagged, causing frustration for a subset of users. Zonhub appears to be addressing these by hiring more support (one hopes) and clarifying processes. From an investor standpoint, the core risks remain project-related rather than platform-related. However, if communication issues persist, it could erode trust. Retail investors considering Zonhub should be aware of these complaints: one might experience a delay in getting responses or interest payments occasionally, but to date, those payments have eventually come through and the platform remains solvent and regulated. It’s advisable for investors to stay proactive (monitor their dashboard, follow up on late payments promptly) and keep records, especially during this phase where Zonhub is fine-tuning its expanded operations.

Red flags to highlight: no loss of principal so far, but some investors reported late interest and slow support in 2024-2025 – this is something Zonhub needs to improve. Importantly, no signs of fraud or financial misconduct have emerged; the issues seem operational. As always, investors should invest amounts they are comfortable having tied up, and keep an eye on project updates. The negativity seems to be a bump in the road of an otherwise impactful platform – but it underscores that Zonhub must maintain service quality as it grows to keep investor confidence high.

Success Stories and Milestones 🌟

Despite the challenges mentioned, Zonhub (formerly ZonnepanelenDelen) has an impressive list of achievements and success stories over its journey:

United Nations Climate Award (2016): Very early on, ZonnepanelenDelen gained international recognition by winning a UN Momentum for Change Award in the category of climate finance. It was one of only 13 initiatives worldwide to be honored that year. This prestigious award, presented at COP22 in Marrakesh, acknowledged Zonhub’s innovative model of democratizing solar investment. It provided a big credibility boost and allowed the founders to present on the world stage, effectively branding the platform as a global best-practice example for community solar financing. This was a notable success story for a then-young startup with only ~2 years of full operations.

Scaling to 100+ Projects and Major Impact: By 2019, the platform had financed dozens of projects (about 62 by early 2018, then rapidly growing). One highlight was the financing of solar installations on iconic football stadiums: e.g., the Volendam FC stadium and FC Groningen’s Euroborg stadium were equipped with thousands of solar panels funded via ZonnepanelenDelen. Also, the Zonnewijde solar park in Breda, one of the first public solar fields in the country, was funded through the platform. These high-profile projects served as proof of concept that even large installations (~1,000+ panels) could be crowdfunded successfully. The platform reached a milestone of 1 million solar panels financed by around 2022, showcasing massive impact. It also achieved the goal (set early on) of enabling solar for those without a roof: by 2020, the founders proudly announced they’d helped thousands who couldn’t put panels on their own house to still own a piece of a solar project.

Major Bank Partnership – ING (2022): In April 2022, ZonnepanelenDelen secured a landmark investment from ING, one of the Netherlands’ largest banks. ING provided a €20 million financing facility to amplify the platform’s project funding capacity. Additionally, ING’s venture arm, along with existing impact investors, put €2.2 million in equity funding into the company. This was covered by tech media as a significant fintech success. The partnership was mutually touted: ING highlighted ZonnepanelenDelen as “an innovative financing platform… particularly successful with solar roof projects”, and saw it as a way to reach smaller projects that banks alone couldn’t serve. With ING’s backing, the platform said it would expand functionality (like offering financial leasing directly to SMEs for solar) and target over €100 million in project capacity in the coming year. This infusion was a clear success milestone – rarely does a crowdfunding platform receive not just funding but public endorsement from a major bank.

Expansion into New Products (2019-2020): Another milestone was the introduction of the ZonnepanelenDelen “PRO” product in 2019. This allowed co-financing bigger projects: banks fund ~80%, crowd 15-20%, enabling much larger solar parks to be funded (the company projected this would let them multiply their volume 17-fold to €250M by 2023). While €250M by 2023 might have been optimistic, it signaled ambition. In line with this, they also onboarded Obton (Danish solar investor) in 2020 as a partner, which they called a knowledge exchange success: Obton learned about community financing, and ZonnepanelenDelen gained access to Obton’s international pipeline. Indeed, by 2020 they hoped to launch first projects beyond the Netherlands – which eventually happened a couple years later. These strategic moves are success stories in how the platform evolved from a pure crowd approach to a hybrid financing hub.

Rebrand to Zonhub and ECSP License (2024): While partially a functional change, the rebranding in October 2024 can be viewed as a milestone marking Zonhub’s transformation into a pan-European platform. On the same date (31 Jan 2024), obtaining the ECSP license under the new EU regulation is a notable achievement – they were among the first in the Netherlands to get it. This license is almost like an “EU passport trophy” that now allows them to openly market to EU investors and list projects EU-wide. It’s a success in terms of regulatory readiness and sets the stage for future growth.

Community and Awards: ZonnepanelenDelen/Zonhub has also won domestic awards and accolades. For instance, it was nominated for the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge (one of the largest sustainability entrepreneurship competitions) in its early days, and has been covered positively on Dutch financial news. It often touts itself as the “grootste platform in EU for collective solar” which, while a self-claim, indicates it likely surpassed others in volume by some point. Another success was a campaign called ZonOpZorg in partnership with the Urgenda foundation, which placed solar panels on healthcare facilities via crowdfunding – demonstrating the platform’s capability for social impact projects.

Investor Success Stories: Many individual investors consider their experience a success, as evidenced by those who come back to reinvest. The company noted that the majority of investors tend to invest in multiple projects (average 5.5k spread over projects). One can interpret that as many investors achieving their personal goal of supporting green energy and getting stable returns. Testimonials on the site from investors and project owners serve as mini success stories. For example, Bas Welles of GreenIPP (a developer) calls Zonhub “our reliable partner in financing sustainable projects”, reflecting successful collaborations.

Continued Growth Milestones: Financially, crossing €100 million funded (which happened around 2022) is a big milestone that places Zonhub in the top tier of European crowdinvesting platforms. By 2025, reaching €145+ million and ~300 projects is another clear marker of success. The platform has enabled projects totaling hundreds of MW of solar capacity, contributing materially to climate goals – a success from an impact perspective. Each year, they publish how many MWh generated and CO2 saved, reinforcing that narrative of positive impact.

In storytelling terms, perhaps one of the best success stories was ZonnepanelenDelen enabling the first 100% crowdfunded solar farm in the Netherlands (ZonneWeide Breda) – something that previously might have required only big investors. Also, being operational for over 10 years (2014-2024) without defaults is itself a success in the alternative finance industry, which often sees platforms come and go.

As Zonhub moves forward, it continues to rack up successes: in late 2023 and 2024, it funded its first battery storage projects and first projects in Germany/Romania/Italy, showing that its model can replicate beyond national borders. Each of these is a milestone for the team that started with a small rooftop pilot in 2014.

To summarize, Zonhub’s journey is marked by high-profile recognitions (UN award), strong growth metrics, pioneering deals (stadium solar, etc.), and strategic partnerships (ING, Obton). These success stories validate its approach and provide confidence that the platform has a solid foundation and support network. For retail investors, these stories also illustrate potential upside beyond just money: being part of something that wins climate awards, powers famous venues with solar, or partners with major banks can be rewarding in itself.

Is Zonhub safe and fully regulated?

Yes – Zonhub is a licensed investment platform under Dutch and EU law. It has been supervised by the AFM since 2018 (investment firm license) and in 2024 obtained the new European Crowdfunding Service Provider license. This means it meets strict regulatory standards for handling client funds, disclosures, and governance. Investor money is held in a segregated wallet account (via Mangopay), not mixed with Zonhub’s own funds. Projects must publish key information documents and even prospectuses for larger deals, vetted by regulators. While no investment is “risk-free”, Zonhub itself is considered safe and reputable, with major institutional backers (e.g. ING Bank is a shareholder) and a 10-year operating history. Importantly, even if Zonhub were to go bankrupt, your investments are protected: the project SPVs would continue and a backup servicer could take over payments.

What returns can I expect as an investor?

Returns vary by project, but generally in the range of ~3% to 7% per year. Traditional solar roof projects (ZonneDelen) typically yield around 3.5% annual interest on average, with the interest rate changing a bit each year based on actual energy production (could be a bit higher in sunny/high-price years, or lower in others). Larger solar park or fixed-rate bond projects often offer ~5% fixed. Zonhub has also listed some shorter-term or higher-risk green bonds at 8-10% (for example, a 18-month bond at 10% for a solar developer). These are exceptions; the majority of offerings cluster in the 3-6% range. It’s important to note these returns are net to investors (no fees taken out), and historically projects have delivered close to their expected yields (some even slightly exceeding forecasts, hitting ~4-5% in practice). Overall, expect mid-single-digit returns that are relatively stable, not extreme high yields – reflecting the lower risk profile. Each project page will clearly state the expected return or interest range.

What are the main risks involved?

The main risks include: Project performance risk – if a solar project generates less electricity than expected or if electricity prices drop, your return will be on the lower end (for variable-rate projects). There’s also credit risk – you are lending to a project company; if it fails to earn enough or goes bankrupt, you could lose interest or even principal. That said, no Zonhub project has defaulted to date, and strong mitigations (subsidies, insurances, collateral) are in place. Another risk is illiquidity – as mentioned, your money is tied up long-term and early exit is difficult. Subordination is a risk: your loan is often junior to a bank loan, meaning in a worst-case scenario the bank gets paid first. However, to compensate, projects are structured conservatively so that they can cover all debt even under stress scenarios. Regulatory risk (like changes in subsidy policy) is relatively low for existing projects, since subsidies are typically granted and fixed for 15 years. Platform risk (Zonhub going bust) is mitigated by segregated accounts and the ability for another servicer to step in. Finally, currency risk is nil since everything is in EUR. In summary, the risk is comparable to a secured long-term corporate bond – lower risk than stocks or unsecured loans, but higher than, say, a government bond or savings account. Investors should read each project’s risk section in the info document – risks are transparent and spelled out, including worst-case scenarios.

Does Zonhub cover my losses if a project fails? Is there any guarantee?

• There’s no guarantee or compensation scheme for investment losses on Zonhub. It’s not a bank deposit and capital is at risk.

• No platform buyback/provision fund: Zonhub doesn’t guarantee loans or insure against defaults (and buybacks aren’t part of the ECSP model).

• If a project fails, investors bear losses—though recoveries may be possible via collateral and the security agent/foundation, they’re not assured.

• Zonhub’s role is prevention via vetting/structure, not reimbursement. Past absence of defaults is not a promise for the future.

Practical takeaways: diversify across projects, read each project’s risk section and IM, assume illiquidity, and only invest what you can afford to risk.

Can anyone in Europe invest? Do I need to be Dutch?

Now that Zonhub has an EU license, investors from most EU countries can register and invest. You do not need to be Dutch – though the platform may still be working on providing all information in English. Already, projects in other countries (Germany, etc.) have non-Dutch investors participating. You’ll need a SEPA bank account and to complete the standard KYC (Know Your Customer) checks with ID verification. Currently, the website interface is largely in Dutch, so non-Dutch speakers might navigate via an English summary or translation, but this should improve. If you’re from outside the EU, it’s more complicated: Zonhub primarily targets EEA (European Economic Area) residents due to regulatory scope. In summary, any adult EU resident with a European bank account can join Zonhub’s mission of investing in solar. Retail investors are welcome, and there’s typically no accredited investor requirement since each project either has a prospectus or stays within crowdfunding limits.

Who are the typical borrowers and can they default?

Borrowers are typically project-specific companies or special purpose vehicles (SPVs) created by solar developers, energy cooperatives, or businesses installing solar. For instance, a municipality might create “Solar Rooftop BV” for panels on a stadium, or a developer might have “Project X BV” for a solar park. In some cases, the borrower could be the operating company of a portfolio (like a leasing company or a developer raising development capital). They can default if they can’t generate enough revenue to meet obligations – however, since they usually have guaranteed subsidy income and the projects’ costs are largely upfront, the financial structure is robust. Defaults have not happened so far. If one did, the security measures (like pledges) mean investors could still recover funds by, say, continuing to operate the solar park under new management or selling it. Also, often the borrowers have some equity or backing from experienced sponsors who have a reputation to maintain. So while default is possible in theory, the platform’s zero-default history indicates how carefully these borrowers and projects are curated.