For the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Energetics analyzed the potential value of aggregated solar home developments for use as peak shaving options at electric utilities throughout the country. Through the use of telephone interviews, we identified utility experiences, technical, policy, and regulatory actions related to aggregated solar homes. We also gathered information on the experiences and opinions of other organizations working in the field of residential solar design and development.

The report, Solar Technologies Utility Benefits, which was published in 2003, found that until electric utilities gain greater confidence in solar technologies' capability to provide utility benefits, it is unlikely that large-scale residential solar installation programs will be supported by electrical utilities nationwide. Demonstrations of load shape impacts of residential solar installations are needed to create a credible basis for utility reliance on solar technologies for capacity benefits.

Energetics' report concluded that electric utility planners and system operators need significant additional technical information and demonstrated operating experience before recognizing the system benefits of solar technologies.