Innovative service and business model for photovoltaic power plants on multiple dwellings in Austria for self-consumption.

Austrian electricity prices to be paid by private households have increased very slowly over the last years from about 19.09 ct/kWh in 2009 to 19.96 ct/kWh in 2015 (mean values with taxes included in Austria). PV feed-in tariffs for new contracts (>20 kWp) decreased significantly from 39,98 ct/kWh in 2009 to 11,5 ct/kWh in 2015 and are lying now significantly under above mentioned electricity prices for households (see Figure 1). Prices for PV modules from manufacturers in Austria (weighted average) diminished significantly from 1,958 € / kWpeak in 2010 to 595 € / kWp in 2014, the prices for a 10 kWp entire PV system with grid connection (turnkey plant) from 3,233 € / kWp in 2010 to 1,471 € / kWp in 2014 [1].

These developments make self-consumption of PV power for residents economically more attractive. Whereas household owners of single-family houses are already quite active in installation of PV plants on their roofs for their own use and for feed-in to the grid, this does not happen for multiple dwellings in Austria [5].

One important reason for that is the Austrian legal energy framework such as the Austrian General Act on Electricity (Elektrizitätswirtschafts- und Organisation-sgesetz 2010 ElWOG 2010), which doesn´t allow direct sale of PV electricity to residents. This law is currently under amendment.

The aim of this project is to develop a special business model that enables a stronger penetration of PV plants on multiple dwellings. It is planned to find options for the residents of the multiple dwelling to consume a large share of the produced electricity on-site and surplus electricity will be distributed to the municipality. Residents will have also the opportunity to participate in financing the PV power plant.