Economy on a Residential Photovoltaic Power System.

Abstract

This paper firstly proposes a new methodology to assess the generating costs of photovoltaic power systems for residential electric energy use and to evaluate these systems economies.We next describe the hourly computer simulation method of residential photovoltaic system operation by applying the standard meteorological data and typical daily residential load curves to make clear the following subjects; (1) the extent of the residential electric energy being served by photovoltaic power system, (2) the extent of the most economical battery capacity, (3) the relation between the scale of photovoltaic system and the size and shape of residential load curve, (4) the contribution to the residential photovoltaic systems economy by the utilities purchase price of surplus power. We actually estimated the economy of residential photovoltaic power system in 2000 in Japan.As a result we found that it was difficult for residential photovoltaic power system to get economy under the cost target of Sunshine Project in 2000 and it was necessary to reduce the cost of solar cell and balance of systems furthermore.