Abstract

The COVID crisis has led to a drop in electricity demand and generation. The study used the hourly load data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) to examine how the power system has responded in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and UK, both on the demand side and supply side. Preliminary results provide insights on the impact of COVID policies on the profile of aggregate electricity demand, as well as on the generation mix and the carbon intensity of the power sector. The analysis shows that the COVID crisis has led to a drop in electricity load, generation, and CO2 emissions. Inspection of hourly data on weekday electricity generation by technology reveals that the ongoing demand-side shock has deepened the decarbonization, further contributing to emission reduction.

Speaker: Francesco Pietro Colelli, Ca’ Foscari University Venice, Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change Foundation (CMCC), RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE)
Moderator: Enrica De Cian, Ca’ Foscari University Venice, Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change Foundation (CMCC), RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE)

Acknowledgments

This research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 756194 (ENERGYA).