Comparative Analysis of the Implementation of Business Models of Prosumers With Renewable Energy Sources

Abstract

The review of current models of renewable energy promoters in Ukraine focuses on consumer groups that use renewable energy sources, new business models and modern approaches to market regulation, which further affect the modernization of infrastructure in accordance with the requirements of the European Union and energy policy. The author analyzes the formation of tariff policy according to each business model and describes the impact of preferential tariffs in the functioning of the models. This article examines the impact of energy cooperatives and community energy communities, what value they bring to the transition to alternative energy sources, and how they can be developed through energy policy and regulatory frameworks. It has been shown that the management of energy cooperatives and communities during peak consumption periods can influence the balancing of the energy system. It has been found that business models of collective consumption in market relations expand the definition of self-consumption in many ways. The Tenant's Electricity business model involves some form of independent consumption of solar energy from photovoltaic installations in apartment buildings. The Private Grid or Microgrid model allows consumers and prosumers to experiment with different energy technologies that simultaneously maximize their own consumption and offer services to grid operators. It also shows a mechanism for covering electricity shortages through collective self-consumption, in which the local grid operator provides careful management of consumer meter data.
 The presented 15 business models of prosumerism allow us to explore the ways in which some models can be advantageous compared to others by avoiding various components in the formation of retail energy prices, and by generating new revenues through flexibility. The possibility of schemes with the ability to "aggregate" the flexibility of consumers and use the flexibility of many small energy systems to meet the large needs of power system operators is identified. Examples of business models for collective consumers that benefit from energy efficiency and decarbonization of other energy sources, such as heat and transport, are presented. The paper also considers possible business models of prosumerism and schemes for the provision of energy services between the owners of renewable generation and the distribution system operator, transmission system operator, and other market participants. It is proposed to solve the problem of expanding prosumerism by conducting a comparative analysis of business models.