European Commission, ACER and ENTSO-E invited Florence School of Regulation to organise this training. Electricity markets are undergoing a lot of changes, and it is not easy to keep up. With this training we want to make it easier for stakeholders to engage in the ongoing electricity market integration process.  

In 2020, we organise the 4th edition of this online training. It focuses on the integration of electricity markets in Europe from forward markets to day-ahead, intra-day and balancing markets. We also cover the importance of data exchanges, system operation and technical requirements for grid connections. Every year we provide an updated course text. The EU electricity network codes Technical Report (2019 ed.) is available online. The 2020 edition of the course text is currently in press and will be available in February/March 2020.  

We also continue to engage with the alumni of this training. They have access to an online platform where we share and discuss our ongoing research on the evolution of electricity markets in Europe. 

Welcome to the course
Live class: 22 September 2020 – 12-1pm CEST 

Week 1: How to organize wholesale trade for electricity? Who gets the rights to trade across borders? (23 September – 29 September 2020)
This week covers two large topics. We discuss how to organise trade for electricity, and we look at the European experience with the allocation of the rights to trade across borders (i.e. transmission rights). We cover the topics of historical privileges to trade across borders, market-based allocation of transmission rights and the evolution from explicit to implicit auctions (also ‘market-coupling’), and the implementation of market coupling in the day-ahead timeframe. We also touch upon relevant developments in the timeframes before and after day-ahead.
Live class: 29 September 2020 – 12-1pm CEST
Topics: Nominated Electricity Market Operators, Market Coupling Operator Function, EUPHEMIA, XBID, Joint Allocation Office, Financial Transmission Rights

Week 2: How do you calculate border trade constraints? (30 September – 6 October 2020)
In this week, we discuss how to calculate border trade constraints. We explain why it is important to focus on these constraints, why we calculate trade constraints on virtual borders and who is best placed to carry out such calculations. We introduce the concept of flow-based market coupling, cover the topics of regional collaboration among TSOs and data exchange, and look at open issues when it comes to border trade constraints and their calculation.
Live class: 6 October – 12-1pm CEST 
Topics: Bidding Zones, Flow-based Market Coupling, Capacity Calculation Regions, Common Grid Model, Remaining Available Margin

Week 3: Who is responsible to balance the system? (7 October-13 October)
In the third week, we explore how system balancing is organised in Europe. We discuss how the responsibility is shared between system operators and introduce the concepts of frequency containment, frequency restoration and reserve replacement. We explain balancing responsible parties and imbalance settlement, and cover the topics of balancing capacity tenders, balancing energy markets and the related issue of scarcity pricing in balancing markets. Cross-border balancing markets and the European platforms for the exchange of balancing energy are other important topics of this week, as are open issues in the field of congestion management in balancing markets.
Live class: 13 October – 12-1pm CEST 
Topics: Balance Responsible Party, Balancing Service Provider, Frequency Containment Reserves, Frequency Restoration Reserves, Replacement Reserves, Gate Closure Time, Imbalance Netting, Load-Frequency Control Area, European platforms.

Week 4: How to organize system operation and connection requirements? (14 October – 20 October 2020)
In this week, we explain why it is important to pay attention to the detailed technicalities of system operation and connection requirements. We explore if and how regional system operation is organised regionally and touch upon the new framework to prevent, prepare for and manage electricity crises in Europe. A large part of this week is the different concepts in two of the EU connection network codes (RfG NC and DC NC) and the ongoing implementation of the connection network codes, including the special case of energy storage.
Live class: 20 October – 12-1pm CEST 
Topics: Regional Coordination Centre, Critical Grid Situation, Power-Generating Modules, Power Park Module, Rate of Change of Frequency, Significant Grid User.

Week 5: Legal dimension of the codes (21 October – 27 October 2020)
Live class: 27 October – 12-1pm CEST

Week 6: Buffer week to work on Mastery Challenges
28 October – 9 November 2020

Week 7: Mastery Challenges

Mastery Challenge on digital data and data exchange
Live expert panel: 10 November 2020 – 12-1pm CEST

Mastery Challenge on legal issues
Live expert panel: 12 November 2020 – 12-1pm CEST

Week 8: Mastery Challenges
Mastery Challenge on bidding zones
Live expert panel: 17 November 2020 – 12-1pm CEST

Mastery Challenge on integration of DER and flexibility
Live expert panel: 19 November 2020 – 12-1pm CEST

The course is given in English and developed for: 

• Broad target group of Adult learners 

• Electricity markets experts and beginners 
• Everyone affected by the electricity market integration in Europe, including: TSOs, NRAs, Governments, European Associations, Utilities, New Energy players, Stakeholders. 

The participants can take the course on 3 different levels: 

• 1) Investigator: Learn to speak the language of the electricity markets in Europe and to understand the content of relevant legislation) 
• 2) Advocate: Learn to discuss and debate the European electricity markets with colleagues and field specialists 

• 3) Master: Learn to discuss, analyse and attempt to solve/improve a European level real life case  

The amount of time required to take this course depends on the aimed course level as well as the level of expertise in the subject prior to joining the course. For example: 

• Novice to Investigator: 4-6 hours/week 
• Novice to Advocate: 6-8 hours/week 
• Novice to Master: 8-10 hours/week 
• Expert (Advocate level understanding of the topic) to Master: 5 hours/week 

At the end of the course, the participants can earn a Certificate of Attendance, a Certificate of Completion or a Certificate of Excellence, depending of their performance and engagement throughout the course.

• General fee: 1000 €
• Students (with certificate of current studies): 400 €
• Two free seats for FSR Energy Major Donors
• One free seat for FSR Energy Associate Donors

Paid registration fee is non-refundable. However, registrant substitution may be made up to 20 days before the start date of the course.