How an Integration of Home Energy Management and Battery System Affects the Economic Benefits of Residential PV System Owners in Thailand

Abstract

Although home energy management systems (HEMS) and batteries are part of the Thailand Smart Grid Master Plan, the financial feasibility and attractiveness of installing residential solar rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems with integration of the HEMS and battery have never been investigated. This study develops three scenarios comprising of an installation of only solar PV system, solar PV system with the HEMS, and solar PV system with integration of the HEMS and battery under the current net billing solar program for households and analyzes their financial feasibility and attractiveness by using economic measures. In addition, sensitivity analysis is performed to analyze the impacts of critical parameters on the feasibility of these three scenarios. Findings indicate that the installation of a solar rooftop system with the HEMS provides the highest customer economics. Although the implementation of HEMs leads to an increase in energy exports, benefits from bill savings of lower electricity consumption by using the HEM are relatively high compared to the loss from energy exports. Therefore, in the short term, the government should promote the integration of HEMS with a PV system; however, the installation of a PV system with HEMS and battery in the residential sector should be promoted when battery cost decreases.