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February 29, 2024
Addressing the Problem: Controlling Your Water Heater for Consumer Savings and Load Flexibility
In early January, I sat in my apartment as the winter’s first true cold snap ripped through Montana. It was negative 10 degrees out, with wind chills pushing temperatures even lower. I shivered at the idea of getting my next… View Summary +
February 1, 2024
Will price cannibalisation kill the market for wind and solar? Another conversation with Dominic Scott’s inner teenage sceptic
Not to be out done by Monika and Bram, Dominic Scott has another chat with his inner teenage self. This time on the topic of whether the rollout of renewables will eat itself. (For more on this topic, please see our … View Summary +
December 25, 2023
中国区域电力市场:南方电网区域市场设计方案回顾(执行摘要)
- Fredrich (Fritz) Kahrl ,
- Jingying “Jing” Chen
在过去的十几年,中国南方区域一直走在电力市场规则制定与实施的前沿。从2022年中到2023年7月,国家能源局南方监管局、中国南方电网电力调度控制中心以及广州电力交易中心有限责任公司发布了一系列文件,明确了中国南方电网地区的区域电力市场设计。本报告主要基于2023年6月发布的《南方区域电力市场运营规则(征求意见稿)》(以下简称《运营规则》或《规则》),并在一定程度上参考了多个“实施细则”和其他政策文件的基础上,对南方区域市场设计进行了简要回顾。本文为讨论稿,希望借此文抛砖引玉,与业内人士共同探讨。 区域电力市场可以有效地加强系统稳定性、降低排放、低成本地帮助可再生能源并网,更公平地分摊成本,并且提高电价和成本的透明性。《运营规则》是推动中国南方电网建立区域电力市场重要的第一步。然而,《规则》在一些关键领域仍然存在一些不清晰之处与尚未充分解决的市场设计问题,其中最重要的几点包括: 结算体系并不完善; 由于部分市场参与主体未以现货市场价格结算而导致了市场运营商(电力交易中心)的不平衡资金问题; 缺乏区域调度控制;… View Summary +
December 13, 2023
RGGI’s 2023 Program Review: An Opportunity for Frontline Communities (Part 2)
Part 1 of this blog highlighted the foresight of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative founders. These air and energy regulators acknowledged their uncertainty as to all the effects this new program might have on electricity ratepayers, and developed an… View Summary +
December 12, 2023
RGGI’s 2023 Program Review: An Opportunity for Frontline Communities (Part 1)
When the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s program review comes around, many of us at RAP think of it as a cause for celebration. Now, that may be because we are environmental protection and administrative law nerds. View Summary +
December 8, 2023
Avoiding the worst pitfalls with capacity markets – Conversations with Bram Claeys’ inner teenage sceptic
Governments want to make sure the lights stay on during the most challenging moments of the year — think freezing cold days when the wind is not blowing and the sun hides behind grey clouds. Around Europe and further afield,… View Summary +
November 8, 2023
新能源时代,煤电上网电价何去何从?
近日,国家发展改革委、国家能源局联合发布了《电力现货市场基本规则(试行)》,为全国各地区现货市场的建立起到了关键性的指导作用。在现货市场运行日渐成熟的情况下,国家发展改革委在2021年提出的“有序放开全部燃煤发电电量上网电价” 的概念值得继续完善,从而为现货市场的发展起到更好地协调和支撑作用。而继续当前的煤电上网电价机制可能会削弱系统可靠性,增加成本,甚至会减缓清洁能源转型的步伐。 煤电机组的补偿机制应当以现货市场为主,中长期市场为辅。具体来说,应当进一步落实国家发展改革委在2021年提出的计划,“有序放开全部燃煤发电电量上网电价,扩大市场交易电价上下浮动范围”,甚至更进一步,完全取消“基准价+上下浮动”机制。这当然并不是说所有中长期交易都应该被取消,而是取消中长期交易行政定价的限制。在新的机制中,中长期交易仍能够以金融合约的形式扮演重要角色,为现货市场的价格波动提供风险对冲服务,但协调各类电力资源、补偿运行行为和投资的主要平台应该是现货市场。 回望2021年,可以从全国范围内的“停电潮”中看出煤电上网电价机制的一些问题。2021年初,煤价显著上涨,然而当时的煤电上网电价机制难以及时地反映燃料成本价格以及市场供需的变化。因此,年中有许多煤电站都陷入了… View Summary +
September 20, 2023
Key issues at stake as EU electricity market reform nears finishing line
A quick side-by-side of the positions in Parliament and Council Reform of the European electricity market design should enter the final stages ahead of next year’s elections. Will the racers be able to cross the finish line in time? This… View Summary +
August 2, 2023
The UK is sleepwalking into a big problem with its gas network
To decarbonise the UK, the long term use of gas for heating, including any potential for hydrogen, is limited. Getting off gas is now an obvious climate change and energy security necessity. Both the UK government… View Summary +
July 17, 2023
How to reap the benefits of district heating? Make it local
The city of Groningen in the Netherlands has long been home to Europe’s largest fossil gas field. As fossil fuel production winds down, city authorities are looking for alternative residential and commercial heat sources. One of the solutions they found… View Summary +