Optimal Planning of Solar PV Using Simple Model for New Feed-in Tariff in Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia is still struggling to attract the investor to involve in solar photovoltaic (PV) project. There is a rapid transformation in PV regulation by the government. Four regulation related to solar PV is delivered from 2016 until 2018. In 2018, the feed-in tariff regulation was established. The feed-in tariff aims the electricity customer to install the PV system and inject the excess energy to the grid. However, this rapid regulation changing is not yet attracting developer nor customer to invest in the solar PV. This paper proposes a simple model to calculate the optimal size of PV for new feed-in tariff regulation in Indonesia. Feed-in tariff regulation allows the customer to inject the energy produced by PV to the grid. The regulation provides 65% compensation of electricity price from energy sent to the grid with several limitations. There is difficulty to estimate daily energy data. Then, a technical calculation is proposed by using a simple model so that it can help the customer in sizing the solar PV system. Adding to the proposal of the methodology, this research also develops an application to help customers in calculating the optimal size of solar PV and its profitability. The new feed-in tariff rule will be an attraction for the customer. However, it needs a comprehensive calculation so that solar PV can be profitable. Oversized PV systems can cause financial losses with the large investment and limitation on the calculation of energy injected into the grid. The result shows that the PV simple model is successfully developed to help the consumer obtain the optimal PV size.