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

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

• What are the key market design developments introduced by the Clean Energy package?
• In particular, 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 key components of a sustainable market framework to support investment for the energy transition?
• 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 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 review the key market design developments that have been approved in the Clean Energy Package and associated Energy Regulation;
• 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).

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

Long term supply and demand balance in power markets

• The optimal cumulative capacity in a power market
• 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
• 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.

No specific academic background is required although the knowledge of engineering or economics is highly recommended. The training is given in English.

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.

General fee: 2,500€

Reduced fees for FSR donors:

• Associate Donors: 2,250€
• Major Donors: 2,000€
• Star Donors: 1,875€

The course fee includes:

• Access to the course material
• Recorded lectures
• Interactive sessions
• Group work
• Networking dinner in a European capital

The course will be held remotely from March to June 2021. It will include recorded lectures, interactive sessions, and group work. The course will also include one networking dinner to give participants the opportunity to meet and exchange in person. The dinner will be held in a European capital when sanitary conditions allow us to hold it safely, hopefully in the fall of 2021, possibly in 2022.

Please note that the course fee will only cover dinner and not travel and accommodation costs.

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.