Power
Cutting edge: Electricity contract risk with portfolio effects
The incremental risk of including electricity contracts in a portfolio is computed by George Levy using a Monte Carlo regime-switching approach. The volume and price processes are modelled using empirical distributions and correlation is captured via a…
Danske Commodities chief reflects on altered energy landscape
While Europe’s traditional energy firms have been suffering, Danske Commodities saw a 75% leap in profits for 2012. Chief executive Torben Nordal Clausen speaks to Gillian Carr
European power traders look to different sources of data
With renewables accounting for a significant and growing proportion of Europe's electricity production, energy traders are increasingly turning to different sources of data to help them gauge the impact. Gillian Carr reports
Power market design leads traders to take advantage
The design of modern power pools is highly complex, creating plenty of opportunities for clever traders to profit by circumventing the rules, writes Vincent Kaminski
Uncertainty rules in Australian electricity derivatives market
Australia's electricity derivatives market had been picking up since the global financial crisis, but volumes have declined in recent years. Firms blame the slowdown on a combination of slim trading opportunities and uncertainty over plans to curb…
US power hedging suffers from low prices
Low power prices have dented the need for electricity producers and consumers to hedge with derivatives, while regulatory reform is also making life difficult for market-makers. But market participants are optimistic the trend could be reversed. Pauline…
US power traders expect rebound in hedging activity
Power hedging activity could increase with rising prices and greater regional variation across the US
Turning points: Torsten Amelung, Statkraft
As the proportion of power generated from renewables goes up, the business model of traditional utilities is increasingly under threat, says Torsten Amelung, Statkraft’s senior vice-president of trading, origination and business development. He speaks to…
Renewables push proves challenging for Germany
An abundance of renewables capacity in Germany has caused extreme price movements, pushing volatility and trading activity increasingly towards short-term markets – forcing physical and financial market players to rethink their approach to electricity…
South Korean power outage fears loom high on agenda
A lack of investment in generation capacity and safety-related nuclear shutdowns left South Korea facing warnings of severe power shortages over the past year. That is putting investment in energy infrastructure and security of supply high on the…
NWE power market coupling struck by delays
The European Union’s biggest power market coupling project to date has been beset by delays and will not now be be completed before the end of 2013. What is behind the setbacks and what do they mean for continuing efforts to forge a pan-European…
Hunter ruling may slow Ferc’s anti-manipulation push
A court decides the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission overstepped its authority in trying to prosecute manipulation in natural gas futures - a ruling with implications for other cases
'Uneconomic trading' at issue in Barclays power dispute
Barclays seeks to defend itself against power market manipulation allegations by contesting regulator’s pursuit of uneconomic trading
Firms shy away from public utilities despite CFTC relief
No-action letter not enough to convince counterparties to trade with public utilities
Influx into Italian electricity
Interest in Italian power trading has picked up lately, according to market participants. Nonetheless, the market remains dogged by challenges, including a lack of exchange liquidity and excess supply in the midst of an economic slump. Gillian Carr…
Energy firms tune in to weather forecasts
As weather forecasting becomes more accurate, utilities and banks are increasingly turning to it – not only to predict power and gas demand – but also to find arbitrage opportunities, writes Gillian Carr
Is risk modelling keeping up with the energy market?
Lean times in energy and commodity derivatives trading have caused a cutback in the amount of time and resources spent on energy risk modelling – a worrying trend that could leave firms unprepared for future market challenges, argue some experts. Mark…
Energy Risk Europe 2012: EU power market integration faces next set of hurdles
The next stages of creating an integrated European electricity market should focus on the intra-day market, direct current cables and preparing trading strategies post-2014, say panellists at Energy Risk Europe
Power and utilities M&A declines in volume but grows in value: Ernst & Young
Slow global economic recovery led to weak M&A activity in the global power and utilities sector in the first quarter of 2012, but deal value increased almost 20% from the previous quarter
Energy Risk USA: Storms, warm winter, fuel interest in weather derivatives
The extreme weather that hit North America recently has spurred interest in tools designed to hedge weather risk, according to participants speaking at Energy Risk USA
Research report outlines scope for Saarc power trading
Power trading across the Indian subcontinent is set to grow in size and interconnectivity, according to a GBI Research report