Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.erss.2021.102321
Title (Primary) Security of supply as a political bargaining issue: Why Germany opted against capacity markets
Author Gawel, E.; Lehmann, P.; Purkus, A.; Söderholm, P.; Strunz, S.
Source Titel Energy Research & Social Science
Year 2022
Department OEKON
Volume 86
Page From art. 102321
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Keywords Capacity market; Electricity market; Renewable energies; Security of supply; Public choice; Germany
Abstract The large-scale deployment of intermittent renewable energy sources for electricity generation has raised concerns regarding the future security of supply. Previous research has studied efficient reforms of electricity markets to address these concerns. In contrast, our paper aims to explain actual policy choices made to provide security of supply. For this purpose, we develop a Public Choice framework, which looks at three interacting decision variables: the timing of regulatory intervention, the decision-making process and the market design. We apply this framework to study the policy debates and decisions related to Germany’s 2016 electricity market reform. The analysis builds on the rich empirical material made available through a consultation process preceding the German parliamentary decision. The electricity market reform eventually combined measures to strengthen the energy-only market and the implementation of only limited new capacity payments through a strategic reserve. This was despite the fact that conventional electricity producers strongly lobbied for a fully-fledged capacity market by which they would have benefited from new broad-band capacity payments. Our analysis suggests that the eventual market design decision was strongly affected by the timing of regulatory intervention (existing oversupply of generation capacity) and the decision-making process (an open consultation process revealing broad opposition against capacity markets).
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25423
Gawel, E., Lehmann, P., Purkus, A., Söderholm, P., Strunz, S. (2022):
Security of supply as a political bargaining issue: Why Germany opted against capacity markets
Energy Res. Soc. Sci. 86 , art. 102321 10.1016/j.erss.2021.102321