Workshop 1: Support policies for renewables (SM 01.05)

In line with the Energy strategy 2050, Switzerland plans to increase the share of renewable energies in order to replace the nuclear power plants. In the last decade, effective supporting schemes such as Feed-in-Tariffs have promoted a wide deployment of wind and PV energy. The support policies in neighbouring countries of Switzerland have been so successful that some of these technologies can now compete with conventional fossil power plants in some countries. However, those subsidies had also negative impacts on the functioning of the electricity market leading to negative prices. Therefore, a strong debate is now going on in Switzerland, whether dedicated support for mature renewable technologies should continue or not after 2022 and how those support policies for renewables should look like.

This workshop may analyse inter alia the following issues:

• How can support policies be justified economically and how do they contribute to the decarbonisation goal?
• In which way should/ can support policies be designed in order to be effective and efficient?
• Is technology neutrality possible and/or desirable?
• How can locational advantages or disadvantages regarding network services be included?

Workshop 2: Capacity mechanisms (SM 01.23)

Liberalised electricity markets have not yet shown their ability of providing efficient investment incentives for new power plants. Support policies for renewables have increased their share in the electricity mix leading to over-capacities and a significant decrease of wholesale electricity prices. In order to ensure the security of supply in the long run several European countries (e.g. UK, France, Italy) have introduced different kinds of capacity mechanisms. During this workshop, practitioners and researchers will reflect if and why a capacity mechanism for Switzerland may be necessary and how it should look like with expert input on lessons learnt from the UK capacity market, a study on the impacts of neighbouring capacity markets on Swiss electricity market and the BKW capacity market proposal. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on how capacity mechanisms may affect renewable support policies as well as enhance energy efficiency.

This workshop may reflect inter alia on the following issues:

• What are the conditions for an efficient energy only market?
• Why is there a need for a capacity mechanism?
• How can a capacity mechanism be designed to best mimic a free market?
• What is the effect of capacity markets on renewables and energy efficiency?

Workshop 3: Wasserkraft Schweiz: Quo vadis? (SM 02.23) (Workshop held in German language)

Rund 60% der Schweizer Elektrizitätsproduktion wird durch Wasserkraft gewonnen und es ist vorgesehen, dass dieser Anteil auch im Rahmen der Energiestrategie 2050 eher steigt als sinkt. Die anhaltend niedrigen Stromgrosshandelspreise und die immer kleiner werdende Differenz zwischen Peak- und Off-Peak-Preisen stellen jedoch die Wirtschaftlichkeit der klassischen Einsatzstrategie (Pumpen zu Zeiten niedriger und Produktion zu Zeiten hoher Strompreise) in Frage. Durch die gestiegene Volatilität auf den kurzfristigen Strommärkten bieten sich dagegen neue Chancen auf Erträge, wenn die Einsatzstrategien entsprechend angepasst würden. Das Ziel des Workshops ist es, die Notwendigkeit von spezifischen Unterstützungen und Reformen bestehender Regulierungen zu diskutieren, die notwendig sein könnten damit die Wasserkraft auch in Zukunft eine wichtige Rolle zum Schutz der Versorgungssicherheit in der Schweiz spielen kann. 

Folgende Fragen könnte innerhalb des Workshops diskutiert werden:

• Wie gross ist das «missing money» Problem bei der Schweizer Wasserkraft?
• Welche Bedeutung hat die Wasserkraft für die Versorgungssicherheit?
• Was ist sinnvollerweise unter Versorgungssicherheit zu verstehen?
• Inwiefern ist eine spezifische Unterstützung der Wasserkraft gerechtfertigt?