IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/old/dpaper/412.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Policy Implications of a World with Renewables, Limited Dispatchability, and Fixed Load

Author

Listed:
  • Mathias Mier

    (ifo Institute, Munich, Germany)

Abstract

Most electricity systems face contractual fixed consumer prices in the short term, that is, load and price are fixed before the random supply of renewables like wind or solar realizes. Steam power plants also make production decisions before such a random supply realizes. These capacities cannot react instantly, which creates a demand for gas turbines to balance renewables. We approach these dynamics by considering different types of dispatchability in a more general framework of peak-load pricing and contribute to the debate on market design and capacity payments. Steam power always recovers costs, gas turbines never do so, and renewables might. We describe possible transfer schemes to overcome this problem and provide a more market-oriented solution. However, consumers must always be compensated for lost load.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathias Mier, 2018. "Policy Implications of a World with Renewables, Limited Dispatchability, and Fixed Load," Working Papers V-412-18, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Jul 2018.
    • Handle: RePEc:old:dpaper:412
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/fileadmin/user_upload/wire/fachgebiete/vwl/V-412-18.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2018
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Joskow & Jean Tirole, 2007. "Reliability and competitive electricity markets," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 38(1), pages 60-84, March.
    2. Helm, Carsten & Mier, Mathias, 2016. "Efficient diffusion of renewable energies: A roller-coaster ride," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145893, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Paul Joskow & Jean Tirole, 2006. "Retail electricity competition," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 37(4), pages 799-815, December.
    4. Jack Hirshleifer, 1958. "Peak Loads and Efficient Pricing: Comment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 72(3), pages 451-462.
    5. Newbery, David, 2016. "Missing money and missing markets: Reliability, capacity auctions and interconnectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 401-410.
    6. Parry, Ian W H & Pizer, William A & Fischer, Carolyn, 2003. "How Large Are the Welfare Gains from Technological Innovation Induced by Environmental Policies?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 237-255, May.
    7. Paul Joskow & Jean Tirole, 2006. "Retail electricity competition," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 37(4), pages 799-815, December.
    8. Carlton, Dennis W, 1977. "Peak Load Pricing with Stochastic Demand," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 67(5), pages 1006-1010, December.
    9. Crew, Michael & Kleindorfer, Paul R, 1971. "Marshall and Turvey on Peak Load or Joint Product Pricing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(6), pages 1369-1377, Nov.-Dec..
    10. Kleindorfer, Paul R & Fernando, Chitru S, 1993. "Peak-Load Pricing and Reliability under Uncertainty," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 5-23, March.
    11. Jean Michel Glachant & Arthur Henriot, 2013. "Melting-pots and salad bowls: the current debate on electricity market design for RES integration," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1354, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    12. Chao, Hung-po, 2011. "Efficient pricing and investment in electricity markets with intermittent resources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 3945-3953, July.
    13. Ralph Turvey, 1968. "Peak-Load Pricing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 76(1), pages 101-101.
    14. Natalia Fabra & Nils‐Henrik M von der Fehr & María‐Ángeles de Frutos, 2011. "Market Design and Investment Incentives," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 121(557), pages 1340-1360, December.
    15. Hirth, Lion, 2013. "The market value of variable renewables," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 218-236.
    16. Klaus Eisenack & Mathias Mier, 2019. "Peak-load pricing with different types of dispatchability," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 105-124, December.
    17. Ambec, Stefan & Crampes, Claude, 2012. "Electricity provision with intermittent sources of energy," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 319-336.
    18. Lamont, Alan D., 2008. "Assessing the long-term system value of intermittent electric generation technologies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 1208-1231, May.
    19. Paul L. Joskow, 2011. "Comparing the Costs of Intermittent and Dispatchable Electricity Generating Technologies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 238-241, May.
    20. Henriot, Arthur & Glachant, Jean-Michel, 2013. "Melting-pots and salad bowls: The current debate on electricity market design for integration of intermittent RES," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 57-64.
    21. Fischer, Carolyn & Newell, Richard G., 2008. "Environmental and technology policies for climate mitigation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 142-162, March.
    22. Wolf-Peter Schill & Michael Pahle & Christian Gambardella, 2017. "Start-up costs of thermal power plants in markets with increasing shares of variable renewable generation," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 2(6), pages 1-6, June.
    23. Hung-po Chao, 1983. "Peak Load Pricing and Capacity Planning with Demand and Supply Uncertainty," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 14(1), pages 179-190, Spring.
    24. Visscher, Michael L, 1973. "Welfare-Maximizing Price and Output with Stochastic Demand: Comment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 63(1), pages 224-229, March.
    25. Paul L. Joskow, 1976. "Contributions to the Theory of Marginal Cost Pricing," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 7(1), pages 197-206, Spring.
    26. Brown, Gardner, Jr & Johnson, M Bruce, 1969. "Public Utility Pricing and Output under Risk," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(1), pages 119-128, March.
    27. Green, Richard & Léautier, Thomas-Olivier, 2015. "Do costs fall faster than revenues? Dynamics of renewables entry into electricity markets," TSE Working Papers 15-591, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    28. Crew, Michael A & Fernando, Chitru S & Kleindorfer, Paul R, 1995. "The Theory of Peak-Load Pricing: A Survey," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 215-248, November.
    29. Lion Hirth, 2013. "The Market Value of Variable Renewables. The Effect of Solar and Wind Power Variability on their Relative Price," RSCAS Working Papers 2013/36, European University Institute.
    30. Peter O. Steiner, 1957. "Peak Loads and Efficient Pricing," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 71(4), pages 585-610.
    31. Raymond T. Bye, 1926. "The Nature and Fundamental Elements of Costs," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 41(1), pages 30-62.
    32. Michael A. Crew & Paul R. Kleindorfer, 1976. "Peak Load Pricing with a Diverse Technology," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 7(1), pages 207-231, Spring.
    33. Raymond T. Bye, 1929. "Composite Demand and Joint Supply in Relation to Public Utility Rates," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 44(1), pages 40-62.
    34. Peter Cramton & Axel Ockenfels & Steven Stoft, 2013. "Capacity Market Fundamentals," Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 2).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Klaus Eisenack & Mathias Mier, 2019. "Peak-load pricing with different types of dispatchability," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 105-124, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mier, Mathias, 2021. "Efficient pricing of electricity revisited," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    2. Klaus Eisenack & Mathias Mier, 2019. "Peak-load pricing with different types of dispatchability," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 105-124, December.
    3. Helm, Carsten & Mier, Mathias, 2016. "Efficient diffusion of renewable energies: A roller-coaster ride," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145893, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Correia-da-Silva, João & Soares, Isabel & Fernández, Raquel, 2020. "Impact of dynamic pricing on investment in renewables," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    5. Helm, Carsten & Mier, Mathias, 2019. "On the efficient market diffusion of intermittent renewable energies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 812-830.
    6. Chao, Hung-po, 2011. "Efficient pricing and investment in electricity markets with intermittent resources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 3945-3953, July.
    7. Keppler, Jan Horst & Quemin, Simon & Saguan, Marcelo, 2022. "Why the sustainable provision of low-carbon electricity needs hybrid markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    8. Mier, Mathias & Weissbart, Christoph, 2020. "Power markets in transition: Decarbonization, energy efficiency, and short-term demand response," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    9. Tchai Tavor & Limor Dina Gonen & Uriel Spiegel, 2019. "Optimal Pricing and Capacity Under Well-Defined and Well-Known Deterministic Demand Fluctuations," Review of European Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Simshauser, P., 2021. "Rooftop Solar PV and the Peak Load Problem in the NEM’s Queensland Region," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2180, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    11. Simshauser, Paul, 2022. "Rooftop solar PV and the peak load problem in the NEM's Queensland region," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    12. Steinhäuser, J. Micha & Eisenack, Klaus, 2020. "How market design shapes the spatial distribution of power plant curtailment costs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    13. Neetzow, Paul, 2021. "The effects of power system flexibility on the efficient transition to renewable generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    14. Alexander Haupt, 2023. "Environmental Policy and Renewable Energy in an Imperfectly Competitive Market," CESifo Working Paper Series 10524, CESifo.
    15. Christian Gambardella & Michael Pahle & Wolf-Peter Schill, 2016. "Do Benefits from Dynamic Tariffing Rise? Welfare Effects of Real-Time Pricing under Carbon-Tax-Induced Variable Renewable Energy Supply," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1621, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    16. Stefan Ambec & Claude Crampes, 2019. "Decarbonizing Electricity Generation with Intermittent Sources of Energy," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(6), pages 1105-1134.
    17. Christian Gambardella & Michael Pahle & Wolf-Peter Schill, 2020. "Do Benefits from Dynamic Tariffing Rise? Welfare Effects of Real-Time Retail Pricing Under Carbon Taxation and Variable Renewable Electricity Supply," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 75(1), pages 183-213, January.
    18. Yang, Liu & Dong, Ciwei & Wan, C.L. Johnny & Ng, Chi To, 2013. "Electricity time-of-use tariff with consumer behavior consideration," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(2), pages 402-410.
    19. Mark W. Gellerson & Shawna P. Grosskopf, 1980. "Public Utility Pricing, Investment, and Reliability under Uncertainty: A Review," Public Finance Review, , vol. 8(4), pages 477-492, October.
    20. Qenani-Petrela, Eivis & Wandschneider, Philip R. & Mittelhammer, Ronald C. & McCluskey, Jill J., 2002. "Investing In Farm Worker Housing: A Multi-Season Peak-Load Analysis Of Washington State Data," 2002 Annual Meeting, July 28-31, 2002, Long Beach, California 36553, Western Agricultural Economics Association.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    renewable energies; peak-load pricing; electricity market design; missing market; missing money; capacity payments;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:old:dpaper:412. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catharina Schramm (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fwoldde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.