How to upgrade the rules of the (electricity) game?
Markets are the instruments supporting power system operations and developments by distributing electricity-related costs and benefits among players. Market rules may need to evolve in order to accommodate technological innovation and energy delivery solutions, while steering the energy transition to the citizens’ benefit. This is why we inform legislative and regulatory actions by studying options and evolutions of the energy market schemes, at both the retail and wholesale level.
Four subsequent EU Energy Packages (in 1996, 2003, 2009 and 2015), have contributed to the creation of a single, competitive European market. In 2022 the Commission enacted measures to mitigate the impact of the energy price rises and help Europe's people and businesses.The EU also put forward the REPowerEU plan in 2022, including measures to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports, increase security of energy supply and support the green transition.
Community funding programmes support national and regional stakeholders' investment decisions in the power system field. Defining investments on smart and resilient electricity system requires the interaction of multidisciplinary players, with different interests and values, and the adoption of new business models and regulatory frames. Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) are key energy infrastructure projects, which will help Member States to integrate their energy markets, allow a greater diversity of supply sources and help power grids to cope with the increasing amounts of renewable energy, thus contributing towards the CO2 emissions reduction.
Our science for policy activities
We study design options of the evolving wholesale electricity markets.
Ensuring fair and transparent operations is essential to foster competition, protecting consumers, and promoting a sustainable energy future.
We assess the role and value of demand-side flexibility in enabling cost-efficient system operation and large scale integration of renewable energy.
We study design options of the evolving retail electricity markets.
We assess building blocks and progress towards the development and interconnection of the energy networks beyond Europe.
We support the development of ranking methodology and multi-criteria assessment frameworks for Projects of Common Interest.
We investigate the role of regulatory experimentation as an innovation tool to enable and facilitate the energy transition.
We utilise a suite of models approach to analyse the electricity systems and markets challenges and developments, both within the EU and beyond.
We assess and test energy storage integration issues, with particular focus on the effects on power system operations and market dynamics.