Surplus power generation from the sun during midday hours leads to a change of schedule for the reduced electricity tariff.

The night tariff that has been in effect for decades, after the “invasion” of photovoltaic production, is proposed by electricity suppliers to be supplemented by a meridian low-charge zone in summer as the peak of demand, from midday hours, has shifted to the afternoon – evening when it falls the sun and the production of photovoltaics disappears. From the DEDDIE side, competent sources told APE that all scenarios will be examined in coordination and cooperation with all market operators.

The Greek Association of Electricity Suppliers, in a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Energy Regulatory Authority and DEDDIE, also officially raised the issue, pointing out that during Peak Network Load Periods – especially during the months of spring and autumn – it would be reasonable not to meridian hours have been included, i.e. hours when the production of the photovoltaic modules is maximized.

As the General Director of the Association, Miltos Aslanoglou, points out to APE, now the critical hours – in terms of the size of the demand and the congestion in the networks – especially in the summer are the evenings, between 9 and 12 when the temperature is high and the energy demand for the operation of the air conditioners increased, while the production of the photovoltaics is not available. During the midday hours the demand is even higher due to temperatures but it is largely covered by the photovoltaic production which, among other things, is also decentralized. That is, it is not produced centrally in the large thermal stations but in thousands of places throughout Greece where photovoltaics have been installed, which also discharges the grids.

The cheapest “night” tariff during the summer season, from 1 May to 31 October, is valid from 11 pm to 7 am (in winter a low rate is already applied and midday 3-5 pm). This schedule was established at a time when the spread of photovoltaics was non-existent while the gradual expansion of the use of air conditioners caused serious problems – even blackouts – due to a lack of available power and congestion in the transmission and distribution networks. Leaps of solar development eliminated the meridian peak but shifted the problem to the evening zone.

For example, last Saturday, June 3, the demand for electricity from 12 to 4 in the afternoon was covered by up to 2/3 from renewable sources, with the result that the price of electricity on the Energy Exchange during this period is zero. At 5 pm – when the efficiency of photovoltaics gradually decreases – the price increased to 100 euros per megawatt hour while at 11 pm. so it starts the nightly tariff was over 80 euros. Therefore, competent sources told APE, the current hours for the night current give a “signal” to consumers to shift their consumption to the period when the price is 80 euros and not to the hours when it is zero.

The same sources said that the issue will be raised on new grounds to the extent that the installation of smart consumption meters which provide the possibility of different billing per hour of the day progresses. Smart meters will allow suppliers to apply dynamic tariffs and also consumers to adjust the demand profile during the day accordingly to take advantage of lower price hours. Today, the “signal” for the activation of the reduced night tariff is given centrally by DEDDIE with an Audio Frequency Remote Control System.