The Assessment of the Value of Electricity Saving and Economic Benefit to Residential Solar Rooftop PV Customer: The Case of Thailand

A rise in residential solar rooftop PV (SRPV) has been observed in Thailand because of the decreasing costs of solar photovoltaics (PV) and implementation of incentive programs for solar rooftop PV. However, without financial assistance, it is not economically feasible to invest in a solar rooftop PV system with energy storage due to the high up-front cost of battery storage and the low power retail price for household. This study examines the benefit to Thai households with solar rooftop PV under different technology regimes, incentives, rate structures, and trading mechanisms such as Peer-to-Peer, and financial aid programs. It is found that the households who install solar with battery storage, or an electric vehicle see a minor benefit. Net-metering saves more money than Net-Billing under different retail rate structures and price escalation as well as with different load patterns in pre-COVID19 and during COVID19 conditions. In addition, SRPV can deliver even greater positive return if it is supported by financial measures, which comprises of a lower loan interest rate and a substantial share of the loan amount. Compared to Net-Billing, Peer-to-peer energy trading is favorable for SRPV that purchase and sell excess solar rooftop energy after self-consumed with the neighboring household.