Assessing the load matching capability of photovoltaics for US utilities based upon satellite-derived insolation data

The load matching capability of photovoltaic (PV) power generation is estimated for 20 electric utilities in the continental US. Load matching is determined experimentally by analyzing the interaction between the load requirements of each utility and the output of locally-sited PV plants. PV output is simulated using site/time specific hourly insolation data inferred from geostationary satellite-based remote cloud cover measurement. As quantified with four independent benchmarks, PV load matching capability is found to be substantial for several utilities. A well defined relationship is observed between a utility's summer-to-winter peak load ratio (SWP ratio) and the load matching capability for that utility. Many of the highest load matching occurrences are found in locations not traditionally targeted for solar energy development, namely: the central US and the Mid-Atlantic seaboard.<<ETX>>