Empowering Active Users: A Case Study with Economic Analysis of the Electric Energy Cost Calculation Post-Net-Metering Abolition in Slovenia

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of the abolition of annual net metering in Slovenia and compares the electric energy costs for the studied active user after the abolition. The article also provides an exploration of the role played by an aggregator, which serves as a central entity that enables individuals to participate in the electric energy market. An analysis of the case study of an active user was made, where an analysis was made of the measurements of household consumption and photovoltaic plant production for the year 2022. This article presents an economic analysis with and without net metering and an analysis of the aggregator involvement strategies. In addition, a battery energy storage system was also considered in the analysis. An important part of the article is the identification of the flexibility potential for shiftable loads, which enable an aggregator to acquire insight into the energy consumption profile and energy production profile of active users. The following indicators were used to compare the strategies: annual electric energy cost and the indicators including self-sufficiency, self-consumption, and grid dependency. The findings indicate that, even in the absence of annual net metering, the active user can lower their costs for electric energy with the help of an aggregator.