PRESS RELEASE, 31 MARCH 2020
PV PROSUMERS ON THE RISE
EU RESEARCH PROJECT PROVIDES INFORMATION ON
NEW PV CONCEPTS
The number of prosumers – people who produce solar power and consume at least some of it locally – are increasing throughout EU Member States. This has been reported by both EREF members and national partners of the EU-sponsored research project PVP4GRID, which since 2017 has been analyzing these new energy concepts in eight European countries, and which is now coming to an end.
The on-site consumption of solar power, whether by an individual, family, commercial enterprise or energy cooperative, in a privately-owed house or in a rented apartment, is seen as one of the megatrends shaping the future of the energy system. “Every locally used kilowatt hour prevents the production, transport and associated losses of centrally produced and often still fossil-based electricity. Decentralized generation and decentralized consumption are achievable in many different constellations. These models ensure that the energy costs of all participants will decrease, thereby making an important contribution to reaching climate protection targets,” says Dr. Dörte Fouquet, EREF Director.
Particularly high self-consumption rates can be achieved with a solar power storage unit and a charging station for electric vehicles. “PVP4Grid shows how prosuming already works in different European countries, what barriers still exist and how they can be overcome,” according to Dr. Fouquet.
Self-supply with solar power changes prosumers’ energy requirements and the load profiles in the local electricity networks. By adopting grid-assistive behavior, prosumers contribute to the stabilization of the electricity networks through flexible balancing of consumption and generation, smoothing the midday peaks in solar power generation and supplying reactive power that helps stabilize grid voltage. At prosumers’ grid
connection points, distribution system operators can also directly access valuable data on generating plants and local networks that is of use network operations. The technical prerequisites for this are already in place, some of which are already prescribed in the grid connection requirements. In the process of advancing the digitalization of the energy supply system, however, opportunities and incentives have to be created to offer and make use of system flexibility.
The research institutions and associations involved in this project have drawn up handbooks and guidance documents in seven languages, which are tailored to the needs of their respective countries. In addition, recommendations for the improved integration of prosumer models have also been developed and the socio-economic effects and possible reductions in CO2 emissions examined.
All publications are available free of charge at www.pvp4grid.eu under the tab Information for Prosumers.
An animated video on YouTube explains how prosumers can become more independent using decentralized solar power generation and supply, and how they can achieve longterm savings in energy costs (https://www.pvp4grid.eu/videos/).
For more information on this matter, please contact:
Dr. Dörte Fouquet Dirk Hendricks
Director Secretary General
doerte.fouquet@eref-europe.org dirk.hendricks@eref-europe.org
Notes to Editors
About PVP4GRID
PV-Prosumers4Grid (PVP4Grid) is an EU-funded project involving 12 partners from various European countries. The main objective of PVP4GRID is to increase the market share and market value of photovoltaics (PV) by enabling consumers to become PV prosumers in a system-friendly manner.
PVP4GRID aims at a better integration of PV into the energy system with a focus on market integration. New management and business models to combine PV, storage, flexible demand and other technologies into a commercially viable product are assessed, improved, implemented and evaluated.
Contact
Project coordinator: BSW – Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e. V.
Lietzenburger Strasse 53
10719 Berlin
Email: info@pvp4grid.eu