What Does Research Look Like at an Energy Trading Firm?

How do you find trading edge in electricity markets? Cory Paddock, co-founder of GBE, explains how real alpha generation in power trading comes from anticipating paradigm shifts before the market sees them. In a renewable energy trading market shaped by constant regime change—coal replaced by gas, wind and solar reshaping grid topology, and data centers driving new load volatility—edge belongs to those who read the grid, not the price charts. His approach blends energy infrastructure insight with algorithmic trading discipline: track locational marginal prices, study market data pipelines, and build conviction around where power will actually flow. In fast-moving electricity markets, where historical data decays quickly, the strategy is simple—trade clean, understand risk management deeply, and position early for the next market shift.Cory’s incredibly bullish on Gen Z in quant finance. He’s betting on Gen Z quants. They’re Python- and LLM-native, fluent in building tools and models that turn raw market data into live trading infrastructure. Their exposure to open-source research and self-directed learning creates a new kind of trader—one who codes faster, questions conventions, and finds alpha in overlooked niches of energy and power trading. At GBE, he builds an environment where Gen Z trading talent can experiment, own ideas, and learn risk management through real positions, not simulations. The result is a new generation of algorithmic traders redefining what edge means in modern markets.- Building a trading strategy for electricity markets and finding edge through data-driven alpha generation- Anticipating paradigm shifts in markets and adapting trading models to regime change in power trading- How renewable energy trading and grid congestion reshape price discovery and risk management- Designing a market data pipeline for real-time energy infrastructure analysis and trading execution- Why electricity markets differ from traditional quant finance and what makes power trading unique- Using algorithmic trading frameworks to process market data and identify short-term dislocations- Risk management frameworks for volatile energy markets and five-minute tick data decision-making- Recruiting Gen Z trading talent fluent in Python, machine learning, and market data engineering- How Gen Z quants approach trading edge differently—experimentation, automation, and fast iteration- Structuring incentives for traders to align P&L ownership, discipline, and long-term performance- The psychology of running a trading firm with personal capital and managing downside risk- Why historical backtests fail in energy markets due to infrastructure evolution and topology change- Market structure and locational marginal pricing (LMP) as the foundation of energy trading strategy- How physical constraints in grids create alpha opportunities for quantitative trading teams