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Is the Depressive Effect of Renewables on Power Prices Contagious? A Cross Border Econometric Analysis / Sébastien Phan and Fabien Roques. Cambridge : Electricity Policy Research Group, 2015, 23 p. (EPRG 1517) http://www.eprg.group.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1517-PDF.pdfEuropean power markets have become more integrated and the implementation of market coupling has reinforced the efficiency of cross-border trading. This paper investigates empirically the impact of renewables growth in Germany on German and French power price volatility. We find that renewables depress power prices on average and increase volatility not only domestically but also across borders. We also leverage market resiliency data to investigate the impact of increases in interconnection capacity. We find that power price volatility would decrease in France despite some contagion effects of volatility from German renewables production. Our findings have important policy implications as they demonstrate the need to coordinate cross-border support policies for renewables in order to mitigate the impact of volatility on power prices in coupled power markets.Technology Roadmap How2Guide for Smart Grids in Distribution Networks. Paris : IEA, 2015, 60 p. https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/technology-roadmap-how2guide-for-smart-grids-in-distribution-networks.htmlA concerted effort is needed to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon technologies globally, and smart grids present an important element in meeting this challenge as catalysers for sustainable energy infrastructure. Improving efficiency, facilitating integration of renewable energy sources and providing system resilience, flexibility and security are among the many substantial benefits that smart grid technologies can bring. This How2Guide provides direction for developing and implementing a national or regional smart grid roadmap, in mature and developing grids alike, walking stakeholders through the process, including planning and preparation, visioning, preparing the roadmap, implementation and monitoring.Location, location, location: The variable value of renewable energy and demand-side efficiency resources / Duncan Callaway, Meredith Fowlie, and Gavin McCormick. Energy Institute at Haas, Sept. 2015, 58 p. (EI @ Haas WP 264) https://ei.haas.berkeley.edu/research/papers/WP264.pdfAbstract: Greenhouse gas mitigation efforts in the electricity sector emphasize accelerated deployment of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy resources. We evaluate renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) technologies across regional power systems in the United States in terms of carbon dioxide emissions displaced, operating costs avoided, and capacity value generated. We estimate that external, emissions-related benefits account for between one quarter and one half of the total value generated per MWh over our study period. Regional variation in these emissions benefits gives rise to economically significant, regional differences in second-best production subsidies. This variation is not reflected in the prevailing policy incentives that currently guide new investments.Bilan prévisionnel de l’équilibre offre-demande d’électricité en France : édition 2015. RTE, 2015, 117 p. http://www.rte-france.com/fr/article/bilan-previsionnelL’édition 2015 du Bilan prévisionnel présente une amélioration de la situation de l’équilibre offre-demande avec des marges jusqu’en 2020. L’activation par les producteurs et les opérateurs d’effacement de leviers d’action identifiés dès 2014 par RTE, ainsi que la baisse de la consommation électrique conduisent à ce diagnostic « rassurant » sur les prochaines années...