Loyola de Palacio Series on European Energy Policy – serie

The Economics of Electricity Markets provides a cutting-edge analysis of the critical issues involved in the design and operation of electricity markets, as well as an assessment of alternative institutional arrangements that have either been implemented or are under discussion in Europe and the US.The book illustrates how a sound market design can render electricity trading and retailing very much like that of other commodities. Social and political concerns, rather than engineering or economics, are what make electricity markets 'special'.The expert contributors address a wide set of issues that arise when competition is introduced to the electricity industry, ranging from the design of spot and real-time power markets to alternative approaches to congestion management, from competition policy in wholesale electricity markets to the benefits and costs of retail competition, and from regulatory measures to ensure generation capacity adequacy to the politicization of generation investment decisions as a way of pursuing sustainability targets.This highly informative book will appeal to academics, students and researchers in the field of advanced energy economics, and will prove essential reading for energy regulators, professionals and executives wishing to explore the theoretical foundations underpinning their day-to-day activities.Contributors: G. Cervigni, A. Commisso, A. Creti, D. Perekhodtsev, C. Poletti, P. Ranci

Market Building through Antitrust investigates the role of antitrust policy in the building of competitive energy markets in Europe.By looking at the specific problem of long-term supply and access contracts in the electricity sector, the book questions the suitability of antitrust policy as a market building tool. It shows that the institutional infrastructure that pre-dated competitive reform and the politics of liberalization have largely shaped the current dynamics at work in European energy regulatory practice. In particular, antitrust law has increasingly been used as a quasi-ex ante regulatory tool, thereby raising problems in terms of economic efficiency, legal certainty and political legitimacy.By mixing legal, political and economic perspectives, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers from academia in law, economics and political science, regulatory and competition authorities, as well as legal and consulting practices and business economists.

In this timely book, leading experts explore how Europe’s gas sector is being reshaped by geopolitical shocks, climate ambition, innovative technologies and evolving market structures.Combining policy, regulatory and geopolitical analysis, European Gas Markets in Transition traces the historical development of Europe’s gas supply and regulation from post-war through to the impacts of the 2022 energy crisis. Structured in four thematic sections, the book covers the key issues of supply security, market liberalisation, value chain transformation and decarbonisation. Contributing authors assess strategies such as REPowerEU and the Fit for 55 package within the broader energy transition and climate policy context. They also outline future pathways for natural gas in the EU, including the role of hydrogen, biomethane and infrastructure repurposing.This is a valuable resource for students and academics in economics and finance, environmental studies and energy policy. It is also an essential read for professionals and policymakers in the energy sector seeking to understand the future of gas in an increasingly complex and carbon-constrained world.

Foreword by Walter BoltzThis highly unique book focuses on market design issues common to most EU gas markets, particularly in the context of closer integration. It explores in detail the characteristics and requirements of national gas markets in Europe, which are constructed as virtual hubs based on entry/exit schemes as a requirement of European law.The expert contributors analyze gas supply and demand patterns in the EU, showing that both have changed following the introduction of liquefied natural gas on the supply side and the growth of gas-fired power plants on the demand side. The repeated interactions between the transmission operators' activity and the gas commodity markets are addressed, as is the design of commercial networks in EU markets. The contributors also question whether the relationship between commercial and physical networks, in terms of the 'new' flexibility requirements of users, actually works. By way of conclusion, two proposals for the EU gas target model are presented, both of which tackle the fundamental issues raised in this book, as well as the organization of short-term transactions and the mechanisms for investment in vital new long-life infrastructure needed to integrate EU markets.This volume will be of great interest to practitioners, as well as academics, researchers and students in the fields of energy economics and industrial economics. Both European and non-European energy companies and regulatory authorities looking for an independent and analytical overview of European gas markets will also find this book to be a highly valuable resource.

The UK model of incentive regulation of power grids was at one time the most advanced, and elements of it were adopted throughout the EU. This model worked well, particularly in the context of limited investment and innovation, a single and strong regulatory authority, and limited coordination between foreign grid operators. This enlightening book demonstrates how the landscape has changed markedly since 2010 and that regulation has had to work hard to catch up and evolve. As the EU enters a wave of investment and an era of new services and innovation, this has created growing tensions between national regulatory authorities in terms of coordinating technical standards and distribution systems. This is being played out against an increasingly disruptive backdrop of digitization, new market platforms and novel business models. Electricity Network Regulation in the EU adopts a truly European approach to the complex issues surrounding the topic, focusing on the grey areas and critical questions that have traditionally been difficult to answer. Incentive regulation and grids are addressed simultaneously at the theoretical and practical level, providing the reader with fundamental concepts and concrete examples. This timely book is an invaluable read for energy practitioners working in utility companies, regulators and other public bodies. It will also appeal to academics involved in the world of electricity regulation. The book utilizes language that would make it suitable for interdisciplinary students, including engineering and law scholars.Contributors include: P. Bhagwat, J.-M. Glachant, S.Y. Hadush, L. Meeus, V. Rious, N. Rossetto, T. Schittekatte

Bridging theory and practice, this book offers insights into how Europe has experienced the evolution of modern electricity markets from the end of the 1990s to the present day. It explores defining moments in the process, including the four waves of European legislative packages, landmark court cases, and the impact of climate strikes and marches.Leonardo Meeus explains the sequence of electricity markets in Europe from wholesale to balancing markets, forward transmission markets, capacity mechanisms, redispatching and flexibility markets. Chapters explore current issues including the new paradigm that places the citizen at the centre of the energy transition. Concluding that most of the market integration process in Europe so far has required horizontal coordination between transmission system operators in different countries, the book looks ahead to the importance of vertical coordination between the transmission and distribution.An invaluable book for energy policymakers and practitioners working in Europe, the solutions offered for contemporary issues will also be helpful for those working in international or multi-region electricity markets more widely. Academics involved in the world of electricity regulation will also find this an invigorating read.

This forward-thinking Companion provides a cutting-edge analysis into the design and implementation of the electricity market in Europe. It assesses the alternative arrangements that are being developed to achieve decarbonisation as well as the economic rationale behind those designs.Outlining the social and political elements which make the European electricity market unique, the book highlights how current policy objectives will shape its design in the coming decades. It identifies how Europe's ambitious 2050 decarbonisation policies have placed the design of electricity markets at the forefront of political agendas. Contributing authors investigate the ability of the market to integrate new renewable electricity generation, adopting both economic and regulatory concepts to address strategic policy issues.A Companion to the European Electricity Market is an essential read for graduate students and scholars of economics and energy regulation in governance, particularly those interested in the European electricity sector, those looking to improve their comprehension of the European electricity market, and those wanting to develop an understanding of the impact of climate decisions. Engineers, economists, and policy makers will find this to be a fundamental resource.

In economic, technical and political terms, the security of energy supply is of the utmost importance for Europe. Alongside competition and sustainability, supply security represents a cornerstone of the EU's energy policy, and in times of rising geopolitical conflict plays an increasingly important role in its external relation. Within this context, the contributors analyse and explore the natural gas, nuclear, and hydrogen energy sectors, which will be of critical significance for the future of energy supplies in EuropeThe book opens with an extensive exploration of the very definition of `supply security' and moves beyond sector-specific debates to highlight the political sensitivity surrounding energy security. The expert contributors apply a policy perspective, underpinned by theoretical discussion, to economic analysis in order to yield policy-relevant conclusions. They illustrate that the EU lacks a coherent transnational energy policy, that national energy policies fail to match EU goals and that, ultimately, sustainable energy policies, more competition, and better regulation will improve global welfareAcademics and EU policymakers- both at national and international levels-will find that the topical policy recommendations, extensive overview of supply security, and detailed perspectives on the natural gas, nuclear and hydrogen sectors presented herewith constitute an invaluable reference and recearch tool