Electricity Market Platform

How should we further develop the electricity market 2.0 to ensure a reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally compatible power supply despite an increasing share of wind and solar power? To discuss this question with the relevant stakeholders, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has set up a dialogue forum: the Electricity Market Platform.

The Electricity Market Platform is subdivided into four thematic Working Groups (WGs).

Plenary

The plenary of the Electricity Market Platform is made up of representatives of authorities, associations, non-governmental organisations and scientific institutions It meets at regular intervals. The plenary discusses in particular isues that are relevant for the Working Groups.

WG 1 "Security of Supply and Market Design"

How can the high standard of security of supply in Germany and Europe be maintained in the future? And how does the electricity market 2.0 need to be further developed to keep the power supply reliable, clean and economical? These and other related questions are addressed in WG 1.

WG 2 "Flexibility"

In future the renewable energy forms - especially wind power and photovoltaics - are going to decisively shape the power supply. Periods of high input from renewable energy sources will alternate with periods of low input from these same sources. The power system must be able to balance out these fluctuations rapidly and responsively. WG 2 deals with the topic of flexibility on both the supply and the demand side. Besides technical, economic and regulatory aspects of how to make the conventional power plant fleet more responsive, the focus is also on demand-side management issues. WG 2 investigates options for improving flexibility and ways to eliminate obstacles to flexibility and to further develop the regulatory framework.

WG 3 "Further Development of RES Funding"

The activities of WG 3 focus on the further expansion of renewable energies and the further development of the provisions of the 2017 Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). WG 3 has in particular dealt with the impact of the 2014 amendment of the EEG and paved the way for the systemic change to auctions. The implementation of the pilot auction for photovoltaic ground-mounted installations was one priority. In addition, WG 3 has drafted and intensively discussed the auction design for other technologies. Furthermore, the Subworking Group "Diversity of Players / Citizens' Energy" was set up to thoroughly discuss the impact of the systemic change to auctions on the diversity of players and citizens' energy. The findings of WG 3 and of the Subworking Group have been included in the amendment of the EEG that the Bundestag and the Bundesrat adopted on 8 July 2016 ("2017 EEG"). WG 3 will now deal with the implementation of the 2017 EEG.

WG 4 "European Electricity Market Integration"

WG 4 follows the European discussion on the further development of the EU electricity market design at national level. This includes the further development of the European electricity markets, more regional approaches to guarantee security of supply, better integration of electricity from renewable sources and more regional cooperation in expanding the use of renewable energies. It serves to better combine national and European processes. WG 4 can provide impetus for the discussion at European level on the basis of the national debate. At the same time, ideas discussed at European level should be presented to national stakeholders and thus become part of the German debate.