ECA INSIGHTS >
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Cities and municipalities at the forefront of the energy transition
Chile was an exemplar to the world in its introduction of liberalised power markets in the 1980s, even before the UK. It is now part of…
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Deep thinking running the rule over UK party manifestos for residential energy efficiency
Britain’s political parties have been in a race to declare increasingly ambitious carbon targets in the run-up to the election. But what matters most is…
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Complexity is no excuse to ignore economics when setting net zero targets
UK government policy is now targeting zero carbon emissions by 2050. This requires specific interventions…
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Disruption and blackouts: be prepared
Unexpected and disruptive market events are regularly being linked with fundamental market shifts such as high levels of intermittent generation. These links are often…
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Network Planning in an uncertain world: lessons learned from GB’s evolving process
The landscape for electricity networks is changing rapidly to a more decentralised, decarbonised and digitised future…
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Corporate PPAs aren’t just to make your green credentials shine
Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have mainly been used for renewables in competitive markets in the EU and the US, but they can be used to introduce a limited form of competition in countries that do not…
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Lebanon power, the time for action is now
For years, Lebanon’s national power utility has not had enough capacity to meet demand and has had high costs and low tariffs. Reducing the resulting fiscal burden is a high priority for…
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Making the ESO concept work
National Grid has legally separated out electricity system operation. In the press, this is hailed as the opportunity to make generation zero carbon – surely the separation was unnecessary for that. What is needed is…
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A second LNG terminal in Greece – does it make sense?
The first (non-binding) market test for Gastrade’s proposed floating LNG terminal in Northern Greece drew capacity bids of 12.2 bcm per year, more than twice its planned technical capacity…
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Avoiding negative electricity prices: what measures should TSOs take?
Negative wholesale electricity prices are an increasingly common occurrence in European markets. Although a logical consequence of competitive market forces at play, negative prices are in breach of ENTSO-E guidelines…
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Can self-sufficiency contribute to regional power trade?
The question posed in the title is deliberately paradoxical – self-sufficiency must surely always be the enemy of expanding trade in electricity. Apparently not: self-sufficiency in generation capacity (MW) can be what unlocks political acceptance of expanding trade in electrical energy (GWh)…
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Making rooftop solar in developing countries fair for utilities and customers
Rooftop solar is booming in both developed and developing countries. Rooftop solar reduces greenhouse gas and other emissions from conventional power generation. However…
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Energy efficiency obligation schemes: the exit plan
The EU’s updated Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) retains Article 7, which requires Member States to implement an Energy Efficiency Obligation (EEO) scheme, or eligible Alternative Measures, capable of delivering a set quantity of energy savings via energy efficiency measures…
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Batteries: modelling value in alternative markets
Electricity storage devices are widely expected to become the must-have add-on to electricity systems increasingly supplied by intermittent renewables.
As battery technology has rapidly come down in price…
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Hydropower: helpful, harmful, hopeful?
Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy in the world, accounting for around 71% of all renewable electricity. It is expected to play a critical role in…
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The price for solidarity: gas valuation during disruptions
European legislation foresees a solidarity gas agreement between member states in case of a supply disruption…
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Pit-emptying practices in Lusaka: how to encourage households to use safer and more environmentally friendly services
In Lusaka, health and environmental hazards have been…
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Private sector participation (PSP) models in electricity transmission
Electricity transmission networks are natural monopolies and traditionally have been handled by a single national (or in larger countries, provincial) state-owned company or…
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GB gas market neither shaken nor stirred by Rough closure so far
The closure of GB’s largest gas storage facility (Rough) led to concerns among market observers and participants of supply shortages and increased GB gas price volatility…
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Price caps, merger talks: why bother?
The recently announced merger between the supply businesses of npower and SSE is in stark contrast to the emergence of much smaller suppliers including municipal energy offerings…
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