Driving power sector investments becomes a key question under the proposed reform of the electricity market design. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can contribute to the main objectives of the new market design: empowering consumers, creating predictable energy prices and encouraging investment in renewable energy. In addition, the Commission proposes the use of contracts for difference (CfDs) to support infra-marginal and renewable energy producers, to protect consumers from high price volatility, and to channel additional revenues to consumers in case of high prices. Not surprisingly, the Commission also wants to strengthen the role of futures markets, which can also be a market-based instrument to increase long-term price predictability.
These instruments can be complementary, are not always easy to fully delineate, and will have a strong impact on each other and on the functioning of the EU electricity market. They may also have negative effects. In this event, we discussed with our guests the similarities and differences between these long-term instruments, the challenges they pose, the measures to be taken to encourage investment in renewables in the context of the proposed reform of the EU electricity market, and how adequate financing can ensure new investments in renewables and flexibility.
Speakers:
- Pál Ságvári, Vice President for International Affairs of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority
- Łukasz Koliński, Head of unit for renewables and energy system integration policy in the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission (online)
Pedro Linares, Professor, IIT-Comillas Pontifical University
Monika Morawiecka, Senior Advisor, The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)
Georg Zachmann, Senior Fellow, Bruegel
- Valerio Capizzi, Head of Energy for EMEA at ING (online)
Zsolt Jamniczky, Deputy CEO, Customer Solutions, E.ON Hungaria Zrt.
Mihály Darida, EU Affairs Representative, MVM Zrt.
István Pócs, Country Manager for Hungary, EDP Renewables Hungary Kft.