On the business case for merchant solar
- This paper addresses what we call the investment question: under what plausible circumstances, if any, can variable renewable energy (VRE, and solar photovoltaic (PV) in particular) be a good investment? Although VRE has been growing rapidly world-wide, it is generally subsidized. Under what cost and market conditions can solar PV flourish without subsidy? We employ solar insolation and market price data from the U.S. and from Germany to gain insight into the investment question. We find that unsubsidized solar PV is or may soon be a justifiable investment, but that market arrangements may play a crucial role in determining success. We end by sketching a proposal that amounts to a reformed capacity market that would afford participation of solar PV.
| Author of HS Reutlingen | van Dinther, Clemens |
|---|---|
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIT.2018.8352317 |
| ISBN: | 978-1-5090-5949-2 |
| Erschienen in: | Proceedings 2018 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT), Lyon Congress Center, Lyon, France, 19 - 22 February, 2018 |
| Publisher: | IEEE |
| Place of publication: | Piscataway, NJ |
| Document Type: | Conference Proceeding |
| Language: | English |
| Year of Publication: | 2018 |
| Tag: | capacity market; curtailment; renewables penetration; solar PV; solar investment; solar penetration |
| Page Number: | 7 |
| First Page: | 1012 |
| Last Page: | 1018 |
| DDC classes: | 330 Wirtschaft |
| Open Access?: | Nein |
| Licence (German): |  Lizenzbedingungen IEEE |
