Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: This article examines the growing relevance of photovoltaic (PV) energy amid rising electricity demand, sustainability goals, and the need for flexible energy management in households and enterprises. It analyzes six PV business models, ownership, leasing, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), energy communities/peer-to-peer (P2P), crowdfunding, and subscription-based Solar-as-a-Service, using the Business Model Canvas (BMC) framework. A systematic literature review was combined with a unified BMC for each model, enabling structured comparison of value propositions, customer segments, cost structures, revenue streams, and risk allocation. The results show that no single universal model exists; each addresses different financial capacities, risk preferences, and strategic needs of households, SMEs, large enterprises, and energy communities. Significant differences were found in investment requirements, operational involvement, scalability, and potential for energy independence. The study’s novelty lies in providing a coherent, cross-model comparison using a standardized BMC approach, offering insights not systematically explored in previous research. These findings support informed decision-making for organizations considering PV adoption and provide a basis for further research on innovative energy management strategies. The topic is highly relevant in the context of the accelerating global energy transition, technological advances, regulatory changes, and increasingly diverse customer profiles, highlighting the need for comprehensive comparative analyses to guide flexible photovoltaic deployment.
Source: Energies
DOI: 10.3390/en18246533
Authors: Magdalena Mazur, Manuela Ingaldi
Institution: Częstochowa University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
Funder: Politechnika Czestochowska
OpenAlex ID: W4417330754