The Energy Regulation And Markets Review

Recent years have seen a major growth in the European law concerning the operation of the energy industry, especially with respect to electricity and gas. Several directives have been adopted that are aimed at the promotion of competition in this key sector of the European economy. At thesame time, the jurisprudence of the European Court had developed further on matters such as access to networks, import and export monopolies and security of supply.In this book the authors examine the principal legislation, Treaty provisions and decisions of the Court of Justice and Court of First Instance of the EU as they related to the promotion of competition in European energy markets. In particular, two chapters are devoted to a detailed analysis of theprovisions of the two directives that set out common rules for the creation of an internal market in the electricity and gas sectors. In each case, the analysis is set in the context of the various programmes of energy market liberalization and privatization in the Member States, which aresummarized in this book. However, the authors also take the wider pan-European context into account, explaining the requirements and the implications of the European Economic Area Agreement, the Energy Charter Treaty and the Europe Agreements with countries of Central and Eastern Europe.The approach adopted by the authors is both analytical and historical. They locate the legislation in the context of the EU Internal Market programme that began in the late 1980s and explain the roles played by the various parties (energy industries, consumers and EU institutions) in shaping thefinal legislation. Importantly, they explain how the framework character of the energy directives has led to further important rule-making in the implementation of the directives across the EU. They conclude that a co-ordinated response between the European Commission and the national regulatorswill be essential to resolve problems arising in the transition to a competitive energy market in the EU.

This textbook explains the main economic mechanisms behind energy markets and assesses how governments can implement policies to improve how these markets function. Adopting a micro-economic perspective, the book systematically analyses the various types of market failures on the electricity and gas markets as well as coal, oil, hydrogen and heat markets to identify government policies that can improve welfare. These shortcomings include the natural monopoly and the public-good character of energy infrastructures; market power resulting from inflexibility of supply and demand; international trade restrictions; negative externalities concerning the use of fossil energy; positive externalities concerning innovative new energy technologies; information asymmetries with regard to the product characteristics of energy commodities; and other public concerns, such as energy poverty. In turn, readers will learn about various measures that governments can use to address these market failures, including incentive regulation for electricity grids; international integration of wholesale energy markets; environmental regulatory measures like emissions trading schemes; subsidy schemes for new technologies; green-energy certificate schemes; and energy taxes. Given its scope, the book will appeal to upper-undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines who want to learn more about the economics and regulation of energy systems and markets.

This timely research review explores the main issues surrounding competition and regulation in electricity markets. The industry is experiencing irresistible forces for change driven by energy policy objectives; a reassessment of market regulation in the face of high energy prices and the response to consumer pressure to agree on what constitutes a fair price for energy. This research review identifies the key articles that underpin the debate across the industries supply chain (generation, supply and networks) and from a regulatory perspective (including market power and incentive regulation) followed by a consideration of the overall impact of liberalisation and future developments.

With twenty-two chapters written by leading international experts, this volume represents the most detailed and comprehensive Handbook on electricity markets ever published.