Solar Disaggregation: State of the Art and Open Challenges

Abstract

Disaggregating solar power from net meter data has got traction in recent years as utility companies are seeking ways to identify behind-the-meter solar photovoltaics, improve their planning and operation practices, and apply variable pricing to distributed solar generation. In this notes paper we survey the literature on solar disaggregation and describe datasets that can be used for evaluating disaggregation methods. We identify limitations and threats to validity of this research, and discuss existing challenges and how they can possibly be addressed. These open challenges highlight the need for the development of advanced techniques and the use of other data sources to solve the solar disaggregation problem.