According to the reporting by various news outlets, Israel Public Utility Authority for Electricity announced in mid-April that it will regulate the grid connections of PV-plus-storage systems that are less than 630kW in installed capacity. The Authority said that regulations are necessary in order to reduce grid congestion. Furthermore, there will be an additional feed-in-tariff for the combination of a PV system and an energy storage system that share a metered connection. This is to incentivize the infusions of surplus electricity from energy storage systems during times of high demand.
The Authority also pointed out that developers of PV-plus-storage projects will be allowed to install energy storage systems without increasing metered connections or submitting additional connections. This measure is applicable for DG PV systems such as rooftop PV systems that are for self-consumption and can accumulate a substantial amount of surplus electricity.
According to the Authority, operators of DG PV systems can receive an additional payment if they generate above a certain quota. This is to compensate for the difference between the reduced rate and the standard rate under the feed-in tariff scheme. The rates for systems that are in the ranges of ≤300kW and ≤600kW are currently set at 5% and 15% respectively.
In a public statement, the Authority said a special rate will be available during peak hours. Furthermore, the amount will be calculated and paid on annual basis. Besides providing more electricity during times of high demand, the additional payment can also encourage the storing of electricity during times of grid congestion. All in all, the new measures aim to widen the adoption of DG PV systems without putting too much burden on the transmission network.
Amir Shavit, the chairman of the Authority, told news media that regulating PV-plus-storage systems will help increase the production of renewable electricity by hundreds of megawatts per year while minimizing the potential side effects on the country’s power grid.