Feeder Wise Net Metering Service Planning Using Load Power Demand Profile and Raw Customer Billing Data

摘要

Net metering has become one of the main policy instrument of choice for developing countries. This has the potential to enhance the percentage of solar energy in the power generation mix through the involvement of the customers. To plan for the maximum allowable solar power generation on a feeder wise basis, utilities will need candid information about the daytime loading demand profile on both feeder and customer wise basis to avoid reverse power flow to the transmission grid. While, the daily load power profile of a feeder may be readily available, load power profile of the consumers are not generally available. Until infrastructure of the distribution network is upgraded to have smart energy meters, the consumer load profile information will not be directly available to the utilities, except for month wise energy consumption billing data. This paper introduces a net metering planning strategy based on feeder load power profiles and individual consumer billing data. This work also suggests a way to predict daily load power profile of consumers from their monthly billing data. This planning procedure on one hand helps estimate the maximum size of the solar power installation on the whole feeder; on the other hand, it helps determine customer wise individual maximum power plant sizes that may be allowed for net metering connections by considering equity for all consumers to have a net metering connection. This opportunity for all consumers on the feeder to be able to own a feasible solar power plant will not only ensure financial savings for them but also availability of power in the absence of a grid power that is a frequent phenomenon in many countries.