How Does the Rate of Photovoltaic Installations and Coupled Batteries Affect Regional Energy Balancing and Self-Consumption of Residential Buildings?

Andrea Reimuth,Veronika Locherer,Wolfram Mauser,Martin Danner

doi:10.3390/en13112738

Abstract

The strong expansion of residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage systems of recent years is expected to rise further. However, it is not yet clear to which degree buildings will be equipped with decentral energy producers. This study seeks to quantify the effects of different PV and battery installation rates on the residential residual loads and grid balancing flows. A land surface model with an integrated residential energy component is applied, which maintains spatial peculiarities and allows a building-specific set-up of PV systems, batteries, and consumption loads. The study area covers 3163 residential buildings located in a municipality in the south of Germany. The obtained results show minor impacts on the residual loads for a PV installation rate of less than 10%. PV installation rates of one third of all residential buildings of the study region lead to the highest spatial balancing via the grid. The rise in self-consumption when utilizing batteries leads to declined grid balancing between the buildings. For high PV installation rates, regional balancing diminishes, whereas energy excesses rise to 60%. They can be decreased up to 10% by the utilization of battery systems. Therefore, we recommend subsidy programs adjusted to the respective PV installation rates.

Highlights

The global energy supply has been identified as a major driver of anthropogenic climate change.In 2010 for instance, the generation of electricity and heat accounted for 26% of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions [1]
PVthesystems is increased in 1% steps of installed systems and coupled battery storages is increased in steps leading to
The expansion of rooftop PV power fundamentally changes the structure of the energy systems posing new challenges to the grid suppliers

Summary

Introduction

The global energy supply has been identified as a major driver of anthropogenic climate change.In 2010 for instance, the generation of electricity and heat accounted for 26% of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions [1]. In contrast to conventional combustion plants, renewable production systems usually have a low energy density [4]. Photovoltaic (PV) systems mounted on rooftops can significantly contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the residential electrical sector [6] but their installation does not intensify this competition for land. This renewable energy resource belongs to the most accepted by the public [7]. China has enacted the 13th Five Year Plan for energy, which offers special feed-in tariffs for small-scale, residential systems [9]

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Conclusion