Uncertainties in the Value of Bill Savings from Behind-the-Meter, Residential Photovoltaic Systems: The Roles of Electricity Market Conditions, Retail Rate Design, and Net Metering

摘要: Net metering has become a widespread policy mechanism in the U.S. for supporting customer adoption of distributed photovoltaics (PV), allowing customers with PV systems to reduce their electric bills by offsetting consumption generation, independent timing generation relative consumption. Although net is one principal drivers residential market U.S., academic literature on this been sparse and dissertation contributes emerging body literature.This explores linkages between availability metering, wholesale electricity conditions, retail rates, bill savings from behind-the-meter systems. First, I examine value that receive under alternatives associated role rate design, based current rates sample approximately two hundred California's largest utilities. find per kWh generated varies greatly, largely attributable increasing block structure California utilities' rates. also provides significantly greater than alternative compensation mechanisms avoided costs. However, may shift as conditions change. then investigate potential change - increased solar penetrations prices short-term merit-order effect. This demonstrates price effects changes but points number methodological shortcomings method, motivating my usage long-term capacity investment economic dispatch model various scenarios subsequent analysis. By developing three types (a flat rate, time-of-use real-time pricing) these profiles, ten an where hourly excess compensated at price. Most generally, challenge common assertion likely stay constant (or rise) due rising) future can drive substantial changes, concert variations structures mechanisms, interact place uncertainty PV.