Modelling the Impact of Prosumers on the Grid and Recommendations for Their Further Development

2021
VPP Enerģētika projekts INGRIDO, Antans Sauļus Sauhats, Ļubova Petričenko

The deliverable summarizes the main modelling and policy-related results of WP3. It makes use of several scientific publications authored by the project team and their colleagues at IPE, considering also the findings obtained in related concurrent research projects. The report has four main chapters. The first chapter outlines the EU energy transition goals and trends, especially in terms of RES technologies and prosumerage. The second chapter describes the modelling methodologies and tools employed in the research, as well as the key assumptions and input forecasts. The main modelled object is the distribution grid and it is simulated using a modification of the Newton-Raphson method with backward-forward sweep to check for convergence. Economic criteria are evaluated based on avoided costs and traditional indicators (NPV, IRR, LCOE etc.). Modelling of the net metering and billing schemes imposed by policymakers is a particular topic of interest in terms of prosumer development. The third chapter provides the results of the modelling with particular focus on the impact of net-metering schemes on roof-mounted PV prosumers, their economic comparison to energy communities, the mutual comparison between wind and PV energy communities, and, finally, their assessment in terms of energy losses in the distribution grid. The last chapter provides clear recommendations to national policymakers for fostering the development of distributed energy generation via prosumers. Firstly, the prosumer regulatory framework in Latvia is evaluated in the context of CEER recommendations regarding renewable energy self-generation legislation. It is found that in terms of barriers and net-metering rules Latvian regulation fully or partly fails in five of 21 criteria, while in two more certain minor adjustments are needed. Secondly, concrete recommendations to policymakers are given in relation to necessary amendments in particular legislative documents, as well as more general regulatory paradigm changes needed for prosumer development. These changes concern energy communities and their connection capacities; transition from a net-metering scheme to a net-billing approach, which could improve prosumer technology payback by 11% and stimulate adoption of smart-grid technologies in the residential sector; enabling peer-to-peer trading/settlement of RES energy overproduction within the same distribution grid area, thus avoiding unnecessary injections in the transmission network; regulating the installation of third-party-owned small generation assets in the residential and small business segment, thus removing significant capital cost entry-barriers; creation of a prosumer subsidy scheme, which would account for overstimulation risks to avoid putting the distribution grid at unexpected harm; increasing the net-metering settlement period (currently one year) while also considering the financial interests of the DSO etc.

Keywords
ražotājlietotāji, sadales tīkls, elektroapgāde

Sauhats, A., Petričenko, Ļ. Ražotājlietotāju ietekmes uz tīklu modelēšana un rekomendācijas turpmākai attīstībai: Valsts pētījumu programma “Enerģētika”, projekts “INGRIDO” VPP-EM-INFRA-2018/1-0006. Rīga: Rīgas Tehniskās universitāte, 2021. 86 p.

Publication language
Latvian (lv)