Economic assessment of residential PV systems with self-consumption and storage in Portugal. (1st July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Camilo, Fernando M.; Castro, Rui; Almeida, M.E.; Pires, V. Fernão
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 150(2017)
• Page Start: 353
• Page End: 362
• Publication Date: 2017-07-01
• Subjects: Residential PV systems -- Self-consumption -- Battery storage -- Net-metering -- Economic assessment; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2017.04.062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Highlights: We present an economic assessment of residential PV systems. Different configurations including self-consumption and storage are investigated. An increase of the profitability when self-consumption is considered is witnessed. The solutions with battery storage are still not economically viable. Abstract: A progressive implementation of renewable microgeneration, mainly small sized Photovoltaics, in low voltage distribution networks is ongoing. In this context, self-consumption with storage allows to highlight the prosumer concept, bearing in mind that this strategy may be interesting both from a technical and economical perspectives. The intelligent network environment or Smart Grid comes close to this new model and may have a critical relevance in the management of intelligent power distribution networks, in the framework of a Smart Environment. This paper intends to give an additional contribution on the subject by investigating the economic profitability of different residential PV systems configurations. These include traditional "injects all into the network/consumes all from the network", self-consumption, storage and net-metering. The joint operation of self-consumption and battery storage is particularly focused as it presents the current trend in residential PV systems. The results of the performed economic analysis point to the conclusion that self-consumption is already attractive, but storage is not a profitable solution, because battery investment is still too high, despite the cost reduction witnessed in recent years.