Lion Hirth, a Professor of Energy Policy at the Hertie School in Berlin and Director at Neon Energy, shares insights on the evolving energy markets. He discusses the EU's proposals for forward markets and the benefits of virtual hubs to enhance liquidity. The conversation highlights the Nordic model's limitations and the potential of splitting the German power zone to attract green investment. Additionally, Hirth delves into the shifts in hedging strategies among utilities amidst increasing market volatility and examines the implications of long-term transmission rights.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of introducing virtual energy hubs to enhance liquidity in Europe's forward electricity market while addressing the complexities involved in implementing such reforms.
Discussion revolves around the need to revamp long-term transmission rights into spread futures to improve market liquidity and facilitate better hedging strategies across cross-border electricity trading.
Deep dives
Current State of Europe's Wholesale Energy Markets
The podcast discusses the current stability of Europe's wholesale energy markets, highlighting that they have rebounded from the energy crisis experienced in mid-2022. Many regions, such as Spain, are witnessing wholesale electricity prices falling to lows not seen in a decade, signaling a recovery. Despite this stabilization, there remains a concern regarding public sentiment and the willingness of regulators to accept higher prices during market instabilities. This dynamic poses challenges as policymakers seek to balance market interventions with the necessity of maintaining price stability.
The Necessity and Function of Virtual Energy Hubs
The introduction of virtual energy hubs is explored as a pivotal reform aimed at enhancing liquidity in the forward electricity market. A virtual hub serves as an alternative price index that underlies forward contracts, aiming to create more comprehensive hedging opportunities across Europe. While proposals from the ACER regulatory body suggest this approach could be beneficial, the podcast raises questions about the existence of liquid markets in markets like Germany and France, where current systems are already functioning well. The conversation emphasizes the complexity of implementing such reforms, especially given the potential adverse effects of splitting the German market into smaller bidding zones.
Reforming Long-Term Transmission Rights
The podcast highlights proposed changes to the way long-term transmission rights are structured and auctioned, aiming to improve market liquidity. Currently, European TSOs offer options on spreads between electricity prices in neighboring countries, but the suggested reform would transition to spread futures, which could simplify the hedging process for market participants. The discussion entails the intricate balance required for TSOs to manage price impacts while ensuring they do not directly influence market stability negatively. Successful implementation of these reforms could enhance the overall function of cross-border electricity trading and hedging strategies.
EU regulatory body Acer has proposed several changes to the framework of forward markets and cross-border trading, aimed at boosting power market liquidity. Listen to a discussion on virtual hubs, financial transmission rights or “spread futures” and why the Nordic model may not be the best example to follow. And, would dividing the German power zone attract more investment into green energy and increase liquidity?
Host: Snjólfur Richard Sverrisson, Editor-in-Chief, Montel Guest: Lion Hirth, Professor at Hertie School and Director at Neon Energy.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode