Pv-load matching based on combination of different consumers: A case study in Swedish contexts

•Combination of different load profiles are analyzed to match PV generation curve.•A visualizing layout of matching is proposed.•Self-sufficiency could be improved by 7%, up to 70%.•Self-consumption is improved by 10–15%, stably at around 90% with new scheme. The transition towards sustainability necessitates robust growth of renewable energy, especially solar power. However, increasing the shares of solar power may lead to mismatch of electricity supply and demand, thus worse solar power performance could be received due to lower self-consumption and self-sufficiency. This issue has attracted more attention recently as it also requires additional costs for controlling and battery integration. This study combines several load profiles from consumers having different behaviors with different proportions to find out the optimal shares with higher level of PV penetration and self-sufficiency. A visualizing matching layout is proposed to present the PV-load matching level of all the possibilities at different seasons based on a Swedish context. It is found an 8% improvement of self-sufficiency reaching 70% in summer without additional equipment and scarification of self-consumption. The results could assist in the design and planning of the future power sector. Regarding specific targets, various optimal solutions could be found based on the layout.