The answer to that question is yes. In a recently completed project, the economic benefit of a photovoltaic system has been studied, based on real data from a Swedish villa.
– The study shows that the photovoltaic system can generate economic profit, even without investing in a battery for energy storage, says Markus Rinio, Professor of Renewable Energy – Photovoltaics.
Multi-year study
The economic benefit of a 12.8 kWp photovoltaic system was calculated using actual consumption and electricity production data for a typical modern single-family house in Sweden during the six-year period from 2019 to 2024. Electricity trading prices were based on the local spot market as well as taxes and fees. The impact of capacity charges, which had just been introduced by grid companies, was also examined. The effect of a tax reduction on exported electricity was evaluated. The economic benefit was also simulated for a scenario in which a virtual AC‑coupled battery was installed in the house, with a charging strategy aimed at maximizing self-consumption. In addition, the economic benefit was simulated for different annual consumption levels and photovoltaic system sizes. The calculation shows that the photovoltaic system itself can be economically advantageous, while adding a battery with typical investment costs from 2025 is not profitable if it is only used to increase the degree of self-consumption.
Read more here: Economic Benefit of a Photovoltaic System and Impact of a Battery Using Real Data from a Swedish House