Markets, tariffs and affordability: salient issues in energy policy

Covering the costs of secure and sustainable energy while maintaining affordability for consumers has taken on a new role in the policy space. Renewable electricity depresses prices, but channelling those benefits to consumers is challenging and has prompted electricity market redesign at EU level. Setting and regulating tariffs in order to ensure efficiency and fairness has never been more salient, while energy poverty and the energy transition are increasingly relevant. Against this backdrop, large energy users in the technology sector in particular are increasing energy demand, but are also considering different methods of decarbonising their energy usage, with knock-on implications for regulation and policy alike.

This half-day conference will examine these issues via four recent and ongoing projects from the ESRI and Johns Hopkins University. 

The agenda for the conference is outlined below. 

9.00-9.30

Welcome & Coffee 

9.30- 10.00

Introduction: Alan Barrett (Director, ESRI), Oonagh Buckley (Secretary General, DECC)

Session 1: 

10.00 – 10.30

Efficient energy tariff design and affordability

Niall Farrell (ESRI)

10.30 – 11.00

Shedding light on energy poverty

Andrés Estévez (ESRI)

11.00 – 11.20

Coffee

Session 2: 

11.20  – 11.50

Green Power Procurement for Real Emissions Reductions: Accounting and Modelling in Complex Policy and Market Settings

Benjamin Hobbs (Johns Hopkins University)

11.50 – 12.20

Splitting markets for conventional versus renewable generation – can we better harness the benefits of renewable electricity? 

Muireann Lynch (ESRI)

12.20 – 13.00

Panel discussion

Chair: Muireann Lynch (ESRI)

Justina Corcoran (Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications)

Karen Trant (Commission for the Regulation of Utilities)

Niall Farrell (ESRI)

13.00 – 14.00

Lunch