Prosumage of Solar Electricity: Pros, Cons, and the System Perspective

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in January 2017Abstract: We examine the role of prosumage of solar electricity, i.e. PV self-generation combined with distributed storage, in the context of the low-carbon energy transformation. First, we devise a qualitative account of arguments in favor of and against prosumage. Second, we give an overview of prosumage in Germany. Prosumage will likely gain momentum as support payments expire for an increasing share of PV capacities after 2020. Third, we model possible system effects in a German 2035 scenario. Prosumage batteries allow for a notable substitution of other storage facilities only if fully available for market interactions. System-friendly operation would also help limiting cost increases. We conclude that policymakers should not unnecessarily restrict prosumage, but consider system and distributional aspects.

Organizing prosumers into electricity trading communities: Costs to attain electricity transfer limitations and self‐sufficiency goals

“…If they increase in number, individual residential prosumers who are striving for self‐sufficiency could be highly disruptive to the current centralized electricity system, as pointed out by Agnew and Dargusch . A model‐based investigation of the impacts on the electricity system of residential solar and storage systems in Germany has been reported by Schill et al, in which they highlight the importance of system‐oriented design and operation of prosumer PV battery systems.…”

“…In addition to analyzing how individual prosumers interact with the centralized electricity system, some studies have looked at how organizing electricity prosumers into an electricity community or local market affects their interactions with the centralized grid. Parag and Sovacoo have proposed that the integration of prosumers into the energy system could occur through three different market models: (i) peer to peer, (ii) prosumer to microgrid, and (iii) prosumer group.…”

Sharing Is Not Caring: Backward Integration of Consumers

“…Several studies on prosumers in German electricity markets e.g. focus on technology adoption preferences (Schill et al 2017) or on storage with systems perspective (Ottesen et al 2016), but they do not take price elasticities into account. In contrast to these studies, we analyze the relationship between price elasticities in different demand situations and the role of the prosumer's size.…”

Exploring the impact of network tariffs on household electricity expenditures using load profiles and socio-economic characteristics

“…The deployment of renewable energy in the residential sector has increasingly severe repercussions on electricity grids; for a growing share of consumers, the connection to the public grid will largely serve as a backup option, rather than being the primary source for their electricity acquisition [6,7]. For such consumers the volumes of electricity consumed from the grid will be subordinate and likewise will their contribution to the financing of the grid be low in the case of volumetric tariffs [8,9,10,11]. These trends will inevitably lead to a reallocation of the burdens of grid cost recovery [12,13,14].…”