The growing adoption of renewable energy production, particularly from photovoltaic sources, necessitates an increase in the flexibility of the electrical grid. The grid must be capable of handling the increasing variability and uncertainty of energy production. This leads to a higher demand for ancillary services in the market and, for individual prosumers, a greater need for “behind-the-meter” services. Among these services, self-consumption stands out as a key benefit, allowing users to consume the energy generated by their photovoltaic system on-site. This approach offers dual benefits: it reduces the impact of photovoltaic generation on the grid and lowers the user’s energy purchase costs, thereby improving the return on investment in the system.

To maximize self-consumption, it may be necessary to pair the photovoltaic system with an energy storage system, enabling the use of energy produced during the day in the evening and at night. The design of the photovoltaic system and storage system requires consideration of various factors, including technical aspects (power limits, load demands, efficiencies, etc.) and economic and regulatory factors (energy costs, availability of incentives, etc.).

To address these needs, RSE has developed a software tool named DOPA (Optimal Sizing PV and Storage) within LA3.01. This software calculates the optimal size of a photovoltaic system and storage system to maximize the net present value at the end of life, taking into account all relevant technical and economic factors.

This year, the software has been enhanced with the ability to display additional performance indicators, such as the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the PayBack Time (PBT), and to include new incentive schemes, such as those for shared energy within Energy Communities. New summary figures have also been added to the Results section. This report describes the application of DOPA to various case studies, demonstrating the software’s capability to accommodate different technical and regulatory contexts.

Having proven its functionality and adaptability, DOPA is expected to continue evolving with the addition of new features tailored to specific areas of interest.