THOUGHT PIECES
Our thoughts in the media.The «Iberian exception» does not save vulnerable consumers as much as you might think
On 14 May 2022, the Spanish government published an executive order which implements the “Iberian exception”, as agreed in principle with the European Commission, and which aims to limit the impact of the price of natural gas on power prices. With a duration of 12...
Pool forecasts
With a marginal system for the daily electricity market, the combination of the lack of sufficient low-cost electricity sources (including renewables), and a thermal gap that which can only be covered by CCGTs using natural gas, makes the price of electricity in the...
Gas or Nuclear, Who should support renewable energies?
"The environmental impact and the benefits offered to the electricity system are two of the criteria when analyzing which technology should be promoted more if renewables encounter barriers to their growth, such as the limitation of network capacity, for example, one...
Spain’s power measures ‘tilting toward’ utilities: EKON
Spain's interventionist measures in recent months aimed at reducing the effect of record wholesale energy prices on consumers' electricity bills have temporarily increased regulatory risk perception in the sector. But they looked to be leaning towards local major...
How to control the generation costs of combined cycled gas turbines (CCGTs) in Europe
Given the increase in costs, are there ways to control the generation costs of combined cycled gas turbines (CCGTs) in Europe? Yes. It just so happens that diesel (#2 fuel oil, gas oil) is typically 20% more expensive in energy terms than crude oil, while natural gas...
Hydro impacts on electricty markets.
"Spain has a total reservoir capacity of 55,000 hm3, of which 40% of its capacity corresponds to hydroelectric dams, one of the highest proportions in Europe and the World." Being one of the technologies with the greatest participation in the electrical mix of the...
The dark side of the renewable auction in Spain
"Auctions should maximize the value of the project more than trying to minimize the resulting winning bid price. This would mean that the auction would place a value proportional to the contributions that each technology offers to different areas of society."
The future of renewable energies will include hybridization
"The combination of renewable technologies to generate electricity in the same space is not a novelty, it is a increasingly common practice." Firstly, to incorporate photovoltaics in dams, a mix with enormous potential. And, secondly, and the main focus of this...
Analysis on the proposed Capacity Market
European regulation tells us that capacity mechanisms must (1) be based on national and European level demand coverage assessments, (2) allocate capacity through a market mechanism and allow for cross-border participation, and (3) implement emission caps that limit...
Spanish renewable auction insights
With winning bid prices lower than in previous auctions, even with a record low for PV of 14.89 € /MWh, one of the most widespread doubts by our audience was to know if some speculation could be behind the low prices. On this note, Kim Keats, Director at EKON...
Las subastas de renovables en España amplían la gama de opciones para los promotores que incluye ir a mercado con PPAS
La Subasta se desarrolló bajo el tipo 'pay as bid', en la que los promotores pujaron por el precio que estaban dispuestos a cobrar por la energía que generasen sus plantas y ese es el precio que se les ha asignado durante, al menos, 12 años. No obstante, a parte de...
Las subastas de renovables en España amplían la gama de opciones para los promotores que incluye ir a mercado con PPAS
¿Cómo valora EKON el nuevo marco de subastas en España? El nuevo esquema, descrito en el RD 960 2020 presenta un marco para las subastas más acorde con las tendencias internacionales Frente a los mecanismos de subastas anteriores, el RD 960 2020 es más transparente...
COVID-19 will bring back the tariff deficit in the electrical system
COVID-19 has meant the application of social and economic measures never seen before in Spain, or in the rest of the World. The measures of confinement and hibernation of the economy, during the months of March, April and part of May, have led to important changes for...
A green Certificates market as an alternative to renewable auctions
The green certificate market is an alternative to renewable auctions, since: It helps to achieve the decarbonization goals. It adjusts to the decarbonization goal automatically when demand and other parameters change. Readapts a system already in operation, that of...
Are renewable auctions required in Spain?
Today there is a great appetite in the market for developers and investors, both national and foreign, to develop and build wind and PV assets in Spain. Evidence of this can be found in the immense amount of access and connection permissions approved for these two...
Notes on the PPA’s counterparty guarantees
Why does the EU Emission Trading Scheme (“ETS”) market work? It is not out of major polluters goodness of heart. If a major polluter forms part of the EU ETS and does not have sufficient EU Allowances (“EUA”) to cover their annual emissions, they will face penalties...
Renewable auctions may block renewable development
Portugal carried out an auction for 1.4 GW of renewable capacity and has achieved spectacularly low prices.We were recently surprised by the news that, here in Spain, the Ministry for Ecological Transition plans to apply the same model of electricity auction used in...