PV System under Zero-Export Constraint

Project Context

The project focused on the sizing and operating strategy of a photovoltaic system whose operation was constrained by a grid-imposed zero-export requirement.

As a result, system design could not be assessed solely on the basis of available solar generation potential. Instead, self-consumption, curtailment and appropriate operating logic had to be considered as integral parts of the evaluation.

Key Questions

• How does a zero-export constraint affect the economically optimal sizing of a PV system?
• Which shares of generated energy can be utilized locally through load shifting and which shares must be curtailed?
• Which operating logic is required to reliably comply with grid constraints?

Key Insights

The analysis demonstrated that zero-export requirements can fundamentally change the assessment of PV systems.

The critical factor is not only the installed PV capacity, but rather how much of the generated energy can actually be utilized under real load and grid constraints.