The FSR Executive Course directed by Thomas-Olivier Léautier (TSE and TotalEnergies) and Fabien Roques (FSR, University Paris Dauphine and Compass Lexecon) discusses the micro-economics of wholesale power and carbon markets and their implications for the restructuring of European electricity markets.

Take part in this course by the Florence School of Regulation and find answers to these burning questions:

Impact of the current crisis

• How can the recent price surge be explained and what are the possible approaches to mitigate the impact on vulnerable consumers in the short-term?
• What are the structural drivers of energy markets, now that they have entered a new area of instability and volatility?
• What will be the longer-term legacy of the current crisis on EU electricity markets?
• How will the current architecture evolve to balance electricity affordability, security of supply, and decarbonation?

Fundamentals

• What are the best practices to introduce scarcity pricing via reforms of balancing and reserve mechanisms?
• How should we manage congestion on the transmission network?
• What is the role and potential design of local flexibility platforms / markets?
• How should we design efficient electricity markets to achieve multiple policy objectives?
• How can the theory shed lights on the positions of different stakeholders on the key market design issues?
• What is the impact of renewables on electricity markets in the short-term and the long-term?
• What are the market and regulatory barriers to sector coupling?
• How to define a more efficient interface between market and system operations? How will the role of TSOs and DSOs evolve?
• How can an efficient interface with the European carbon trading Scheme be achieved? What does the forthcoming ETS reform entail?

The aim of the course is:

• to understand the fundamental micro-economic principles underpinning the fundamental model of electricity markets;
• to discuss lessons from practice and experience of senior executives about the positions of different stakeholders on the key market design issues;
• to discuss different wholesale electricity market models adopted by different countries and the lessons from 30 years of liberalisation on what works;
• to discuss how the ongoing energy crisis in Europe has revived the debate on the issues with the current market design based on the marginal cost approach.
• To analyses the issues that caused the current crisis and the policy responses and the different proposals for alternative market models that have been put forward by scholars and experts.
• to discuss the role of scarcity pricing and capacity mechanisms and efficient design rules for balancing and reserves;
• to review the challenges associated with the evolution of the role of TSOs and DSOs;
• to discuss the potential for market power and present measures to mitigate market power;
• to explain the long-term investment incentives, the impact of regulatory interventions on these incentives, and the key elements of a sustainable market framework to support investment for the energy transition;
• to describe the objectives of governments’ environmental and decarbonisation policies and their impact on the power industry and on energy companies;
• to discuss the tension between the theory underpinning energy markets and the concrete implementation issues in practice that regulators face (i.e. the “political economy” of power sector liberalisation);
• to assess the good and bad practices concerning the policy responses to the increase of energy prices.

This blended training will be divided in 3 modules:

Module 1 (9 May – 23 May 2023): Theory of power markets and carbon pricing (Online)

Online readings and video lectures on the course platform.

9 May 2023

• 2.00 – 3.30 pm CEST | Welcome live class: introduction to the course

Theory: The fundamental concepts of micro-economics of wholesale electricity markets

Topics: Long term supply and demand balance in electricity markets; Designing wholesale physical electricity markets; Market design and system operation; Market power, price caps, and missing money; Markets, policies, and hybrid models; Support mechanisms for clean technologies; Emissions trading and the ETS

Module 2 (25 May – 26 May 2023): Practice – Power markets and carbon trading in practice (Residential)

Residential lectures in Florence on the reform of the European electricity market architecture.

Course Program:

25 May 2023

• 3.00 – 4.00 pm CEST | Welcome coffee
• 4.00 – 5.00 pm CEST | Welcome remarks and introduction to residential course
• 5.00 – 6.00 pm CEST | Adam Smith’s invisible hand: the spot market game and debrief
• 6.00 – 6.30 pm CEST | Debrief of the game: the microeconomics of electricity markets and market integration
• 7.00 pm CEST | Group dinner

26 May 2023

• 9.00 – 10.30 am CEST | Analysis of the policy responses to the crisis – Introductory lecture on root causes of the energy crisis
• 10.30 – 11.00 am CEST | Coffee Break
• 11.00 am – 12.00 pm  CEST | Breakout session into groups of 4/5 students focusing on policy interventions case studies
• 12.00 – 12.30 pm CEST | Collective debrief on lessons from policy interventions and wrap up
• 12.30 – 2.00 pm CEST | Lunch
• 2.00 – 3.30 pm CEST | Key principles for a reform of the market design
• 3.30 – 4.00 pm CEST | Course wrap up and closing remarks

Module 3 (9 or 13 June 2023 – TBC): Case Studies (Online)

Online webinars by experts in the field.

9 or 13 June 2023 (TBC)

• 2.00 – 3.30 pm CEST | Expert webinar
• 3.30 – 4.00 pm CEST | Coffee break
• 4.00 – 5.30 pm CEST |  Expert webinar

Theory: The fundamental concepts of micro-economics of wholesale electricity markets

Long term supply and demand balance in electricity markets

• The optimal cumulative capacity
• The optimal generation mix

Designing wholesale physical electricity markets

• Characteristics and structures of electricity markets
• Scarcity pricing: the role and design of balancing mechanisms and reserves
• Managing congestion: Nodal pricing of power and other approaches such as local platforms for flexibility

Market design and system operation

• The role of system operators and the EU (TSO) and US (ISO) models
• The new challenges for system operation with high shares of RES
• The evolving role of TSOs and DSOs

Market power, price caps, and missing money

• Market power and market power mitigation
• Market power detection tools
• Market power mitigation remedies

Markets, policies, and hybrid models

• Market power mitigation remedies
• The role and design of capacity mechanisms
• Possible approaches for cross border participation in capacity mechanisms

Support mechanisms for clean technologies

• The economic rationale (positive externalities, economies of scale, etc.)
• The evolution of the design of support mechanisms as technologies mature
• State aid regulation and the impact of support schemes on markets

Emissions trading and the ETS

• The theory of externalities and the foundations of carbon pricing
• Lessons from 15 years of the EU ETS
• Carbon leakage and mitigation policies in Europe
• Potential reforms of the ETS and extension to other sectors (transport, buildings, etc.)
• EU ETS effect on power markets

After the training participant will be able to:

• Critically assess the efficiency of different market designs in light of fundamental economic principles
• Indicate factors of markets’ limitations and take the right action to minimize market imperfections
• Use the optimal capacity and optimal mix criteria for achieving competitive markets
• Name controlling mechanisms designed and implemented by regulators
• Prevent and solve the missing money problem and understand the design of capacity remuneration mechanisms
• Discuss lessons from practice and experience of senior executives about the positions of different stakeholders on the key market design issues
• Consider tools to reduce carbon emissions and their economic impacts on the power industry
• Regard the impact hybrid models have for electricity producers and retailers

Registration is open to all professional from the energy sector. The training is designed for experienced managers and targets professionals from energy companies, both utilities, TSOs and DSOs, NGOs, and representatives from National and European Regulatory Authorities, but also academics and researchers.

Please note that the training course is given in English and basic knowledge of engineering or economics is highly recommended.

Please do note that this is an Executive Course and only participants that meet the specific target requirements will be admitted. Participants are required to enclose to their registration form a short CV (max. 2 pages). Participants will receive a response regarding their admission two weeks after the registration deadline.

At the end of the course, participants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
Please note that both parts of the courses (online and residential) are mandatory to successfully complete it.

Each year, the Florence School of Regulation – Energy and Climate (FSR Energy & Climate) awards scholarships for a wide variety of training courses targeting a broad audience of professionals and academics.

Applications will be assessed by a Selection Committee of FSR members on a yearly basis. The successful candidates will be informed by the end of February 2023 and will be provided with all relevant information on how to enroll in the online course or residential training of their choice.

Send your application by 31 January 2023.

Find more information here

Fees

• General fee: 2,900€
• Associate Donors: 2,610 €
• Major Donors: 2,320 €
• Star Donors: 2,175 €

Contacts: fsr.conferences@eui.eu

The course fee includes:

• Access to the course material and the course platform
• Recorded lectures
• Interactive sessions
• Residential classes held in Florence
• Shuttle bus from the city centre to the EUI premises for the day of the residential classes
• Group work activity
• Networking dinner and lunch
• 2 online expert webinars

The course will have an online part and a residential part in Florence. It will include recorded lectures, interactive live sessions, and group work activity. Both parts of the courses are mandatory to successfully complete it. Please note that the course fee will only cover one dinner and one lunch, but not travel and accommodation costs. During the residential course, a shuttle bus will depart from Piazza Santa Maria Novella to reach the EUI premises.

Cancellation policy 

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