Net-Metering Compared to Battery-Based Electricity Storage in a Single-Case PV Application Study Considering the Lithuanian Context

• Main Authors: Joanna Aleksiejuk-Gawron, Saulė Milčiuvienė, Julija Kiršienė, Enrique Doheijo, Diego Garzon, Rolandas Urbonas, Darius Milčius
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: photovoltaics; net-metering; batteries
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/9/2286

Further increases in the number of photovoltaic installations in industry and residential buildings will require technologically and economically flexible energy storage solutions. Some countries utilize net-metering strategies, which use national networks as “virtual batteries.” Despite the financial attractiveness, net-metering faces many technological and economical challenges. It could also lead to the negative tendencies in prosumer behavior, such as a decrease in motivation for the self-consumption of photovoltaic (PV)-generated electricity. Batteries, which are installed on the prosumer’s premises, could be a solution in a particular case. However, the price for battery-based storage solutions is currently sufficiently unattractive for the average prosumer. This paper aimed to present a comparison of the economic and energy related aspects between net-metering and batteries for a single case study by considering the Lithuanian context. The net present value, degree of self-sufficiency, internal rate of return, payback time, and quantified reduction of carbon emission were calculated using a specially developed Prosumer solution simulation tool (Version 1.1, Delloite, Madrid, Spain) for both the PV and net-metering and PV and batteries cases. The received results highlight that the battery-based energy storage systems are currently not an attractive alternative in terms of price where net-metering is available; a rather radical decrease in the installation price for batteries is required.