Consumption Patterns in the Residential Electricity Market; a Decision Making Tool
Abstract
This study introduces the input required to build a decision making tool for policy makers to better understand the complex interaction between electricity generation, distribution, and consumption patterns, consumer decisions and the tariffs charged by utilities. This computerised tool will be built using agent based modelling software. It will include inputs that affect the system, such as; rising electricity tariffs; changes in electricity tariff structures; the falling cost of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems (PV); municipal regulations; national regulations; power supply interruptions; punitive measures for unregistered and non-compliant PV systems. The tool will measure what effects these changes will have on the system. Input to the tool is provided by the results of an extensive online survey with residential electricity customers, conducted in 2018 and workshops with distribution utilities held in 2019. Keywords: Rooftop photovoltaic systems, electricity tariffs, net metering, feed-in tariffs, grid defection.