Behind the Meter Solar PV

The document outlines how to assess the cost-competitiveness of behind-the-meter solar PV, noting that parity is achieved when the average cost of energy equals or is less than the retail electricity price. It highlights a common third-party ownership model in the United States that removes upfront costs for consumers and provides a glossary of key energy finance and planning terms.

• Behind-the-meter generation is considered cost-competitive for consumers when its average cost of energy—derived from the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) or past projects—is equal to or less than the retail electricity price over the project's lifespan. In developing economies, this competitiveness also includes savings from backup generation costs.
• In the United States, a prevalent model for behind-the-meter PV involves third-party ownership, where the third party sells electricity to the consumer at a negotiated price. This approach is cost-competitive if the negotiated price remains below the retail electricity price for the duration of the contract, and it is popular because it removes initial capital expenditures for the consumer.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Behind the Meter Solar PV. https://www.wri.org/research/behind-meter-solar-pv

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Behind the Meter Solar PV. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/behind-meter-solar-pv.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Behind the Meter Solar PV |url=https://www.wri.org/research/behind-meter-solar-pv |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendbehind, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Behind the Meter Solar PV}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/behind-meter-solar-pv}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }