PGE/REWE 2015

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PV Development as Prosumers: The Role and Challenges Associated to Producing and Self-Consuming PV Electricity (Room D201-D202, Elicium, Second Floor)

Direct compensation mechanisms are based on the idea that PV electricity can be used first for local consumption and that this electricity shouldn’t be bought to utilities. The part of the bill that can be compensated depends on several options that are used differently depending on countries or regions; this receives various names depending on policy options, from self-consumption schemes to net-metering or net-billing schemes. But all these schemes refer to the same underlying idea: PV producers who consume a part of the electricity produced should be considered as “prosumers”: consumers who are also producers of their own electricity. While prosumers are not linked to a particular technology, PV systems represents today the majority technology that is used. This paper will summarize two parallel studies focusing on the development of PV prosumers through self-consumption mechanisms: one currently developed by the RETD implementing agreement of the International Energy Agency and a second one developed by the PVPS implementing agreement of the International Energy Agency. This summary will be augmented with additional information regarding the impact of self-consumption on possible business models for PV development with reduced financial support.