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Distributed solar renewable generation: Option contracts with renewable energy credit uncertainty

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  • Zeng, Yaxiong
  • Klabjan, Diego
  • Arinez, Jorge

Abstract

Solar energy is rapidly emerging thanks to the decreasing installation cost of solar panels and the renewable portfolio standard imposed by state governments, which gave birth to the Renewable Energy Credit (REC) and the Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP). To make profits from the REC market in addition to reduced energy costs, more and more home and business owners choose to install solar panels. Recently, third-party financing has become a common practice in solar panel investments. We discuss optimal timing for the host to potentially buy back the solar panels after being installed for a period of time and how to incorporate the optimal timing into a power purchase agreement between the host and the third-party developer. Because the REC price is a major source of uncertainty and also due to the ACP capping the REC price, we first propose a REC price forecasting model that specifically considers the ACP values. Then by a modified real option structure, we model the buyback contract as a real option and solve it with an approximate dynamic program based Monte Carlo simulation method. We find that as the ACP value increases, the value of the buyback option also increases under optimal timing. The method used does not only apply to solar projects but also to other distributed renewable projects that are third-party financed, such as wind generations.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeng, Yaxiong & Klabjan, Diego & Arinez, Jorge, 2015. "Distributed solar renewable generation: Option contracts with renewable energy credit uncertainty," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 295-305.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:48:y:2015:i:c:p:295-305
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2014.12.013
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Assereto, Martina & Byrne, Julie, 2021. "No real option for solar in Ireland: A real option valuation of utility scale solar investment in Ireland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    6. Cheng, Cheng & Wang, Zhen & Liu, Mingming & Chen, Qiang & Gbatu, Abimelech Paye & Ren, Xiaohang, 2017. "Defer option valuation and optimal investment timing of solar photovoltaic projects under different electricity market systems and support schemes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 594-610.
    7. Alessio Trivella & Danial Mohseni-Taheri & Selvaprabu Nadarajah, 2023. "Meeting Corporate Renewable Power Targets," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(1), pages 491-512, January.
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    10. Sommerfeldt, Nelson & Madani, Hatef, 2017. "Revisiting the techno-economic analysis process for building-mounted, grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems: Part two - Application," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1394-1404.
    11. Sommerfeldt, Nelson & Madani, Hatef, 2017. "Revisiting the techno-economic analysis process for building-mounted, grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems: Part one – Review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1379-1393.
    12. Zhang, M.M. & Wang, Qunwei & Zhou, Dequn & Ding, H., 2019. "Evaluating uncertain investment decisions in low-carbon transition toward renewable energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 1049-1060.
    13. Fernandes, Gláucia & Lima Gomes, Leonardo & Teixeira Brandão, Luiz Eduardo, 2019. "Mitigating Hydrological Risk with Energy Derivatives," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 528-535.
    14. Àlex Alonso-Travesset & Diederik Coppitters & Helena Martín & Jordi de la Hoz, 2023. "Economic and Regulatory Uncertainty in Renewable Energy System Design: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-30, January.
    15. Kim, Jimin & Hong, Taehoon & Jeong, Jaemin & Lee, Myeonghwi & Koo, Choongwan & Lee, Minhyun & Ji, Changyoon & Jeong, Jaewook, 2016. "An integrated multi-objective optimization model for determining the optimal solution in the solar thermal energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 416-426.
    16. Mingming Zhang & Dequn Zhou & Hao Ding & Jingliang Jin, 2016. "Biomass Power Generation Investment in China: A Real Options Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-22, June.
    17. Kozlova, Mariia, 2017. "Real option valuation in renewable energy literature: Research focus, trends and design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 180-196.
    18. Lee, Minhyun & Hong, Taehoon & Yoo, Hyunji & Koo, Choongwan & Kim, Jimin & Jeong, Kwangbok & Jeong, Jaewook & Ji, Changyoon, 2017. "Establishment of a base price for the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) from the perspective of residents and state governments in the United States," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1066-1080.
    19. Zhang, Mingming & Liu, Liyun & Wang, Qunwei & Zhou, Dequn, 2020. "Valuing investment decisions of renewable energy projects considering changing volatility," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    20. Martina Assereto & Julie Byrne, 2020. "The Implications of Policy Uncertainty on Solar Photovoltaic Investment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Real option; Renewable energy; Solar generation; REC market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q47 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy Forecasting
    • Q49 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Other

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