Small-scale solar is having a large-scale impact on electricity demand patterns in New England.
Analysis by the Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed that an increase in electricity generation from small-scale (less than 1 MW), customer-sited photovoltaic systems is changing the hourly pattern of metered electricity demand from March through May.
The increased deployment of this type of behind-the-meter solar led to a drop in utility-supply electricity during springtime morning hours. Demand rose during evening hours.