Open AccessLet the Sun do the Work
Author(s) -
Elements,
Thomas Rostad
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
elements
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2380-6087
pISSN - 2378-0185
DOI - 10.6017/eurj.v17i2.14923
Subject(s) - net metering , carbon footprint , electricity , subsidy , work (physics) , greenhouse gas , battery (electricity) , photovoltaic system , environmental economics , ecological footprint , business , environmental science , natural resource economics , renewable energy , economics , engineering , distributed generation , sustainability , electrical engineering , mechanical engineering , ecology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , market economy , biology
PV-Battery systems offer a viable technological alternative to intermittent, stand-alone PV systems when deployed at the residential level. PV-Battery systems allow households to significantly reduce their reliance on the electric grid by storing excess electricity generated from theu solar panels for self-consumption. This study investigates the extent to which residential PV-Battery systems offer economic and environmental benefits to Massachusetts homeowners throughout their operational lifetime. Using spreadsheet models, I represent the energy flows, cash flows, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential PV-Battery systems in Massachusetts under different economic and technological assumptions. Results indicate that these systems are a viable means for homeowners to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Economic performance of residential PV-Battery systems is deeply impacted by federal and state subsidies, as well as net metering offerings and electricity rate structures. System size also offers certain tradeoffs between economic and environmental performance.