The impact on photovoltaic worth of utulity rate and reform and of specific market, financial, and policy variables : a commercialindustrialinstitution sector analysis

This work provides an assessment of the economic outlook for photovoltaic systems in the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors in the year 1986. We first summarize the expected cost and performance goals for photovoltaic technology, and then estimate aspects of the market and financial environment pertinent to assessment of a PV investment beginning in that year. Our analysis covers three geographic regions of the U.S., characterized by Boston, Madison, and Phoenix, and examines PV economic performance when operating against five different means for establishing utility backup rates. In addition, we assess the potential of a photovoltaic array to reduce a firm's monthly capacity charge.