Online, Consumer-Facing Portal to Support Techno-Economic Assessment of Behind-the-Meter Photovoltaic Energy Systems in Saudi Arabia

In 2020, the Water and Electricity Regulatory Authority (WERA) of Saudi Arabia formally released a regulation for "small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems", enabling the installation of grid-connected PV systems in Saudi Arabia for all consumer types. The remuneration to consumers for exported energy is under a net billing scheme. To enable consumers to evaluate the performance and cost effectiveness of such systems, a consumer-facing online portal "Shamsi" ("My Sun" in Arabic) has been provided that assesses the technical performance of an installed PV system, estimates expected exports and self-consumption using load profiles drawn from consumption data, assesses the expected financial performance of the system, and connects consumers with qualified engineering and installation firms in the area. This paper describes the regulation and the online portal.