Techno-economic evaluation of photovoltaic installations located on the premises of an end-use electric consumer

This paper focuses on the techno-economic evaluation of photovoltaic power systems after the era of feed-in tariffs in Italy. The importance of the optimal sizing of the PV system and the role of self-consumption are investigated considering two typical industrial and commercial users with different load profiles, both equipped with a photovoltaic plant. By considering the actual Italian regulatory framework, the actual costs of photovoltaic installations, and the cost of electricity, the study illustrates the conditions when investments on photovoltaic may result cost-effective with no need of direct incentives or subsidies.