Commercial solar and batteries
Solar self-consumption and export explained for businesses
How much of our solar generation will the business actually use?
Self-consumption is solar electricity used within the site at the time it is generated. Export is electricity sent beyond the site connection to the network. They can have different values, contracts and metering requirements, so a proposal should not apply one assumed electricity price to every generated unit.
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Generation and demand must coincide
Compare an interval generation forecast with interval site demand. Annual consumption alone can overstate the share used on site if demand falls at weekends, holidays or during the sunniest periods.
Use separate values and assumptions
A self-consumed unit may avoid some imported electricity costs, while an exported unit may earn a separate price under an export arrangement. Avoided charges depend on the tariff and contract; not every bill component is necessarily avoided.
- Interval demand data and its evidence period
- Generation model and weather assumptions
- Expected self-consumption percentage
- Export volume, permission and price assumption
- Curtailment and export-control losses
- Demand changes, closures and electrification plans
- Metering and settlement requirements
Stress-test the match
Model lower site demand, operating-hour changes, delayed connection and different import or export prices. If battery storage is proposed to increase self-consumption, show its losses, degradation, operating rules and incremental cost separately.
Sources
These sources support the explanation above. Check the linked source for current rules and eligibility.