Home About Us FAQ Policies Contact Site Map

Monthly Price Brief - A Review of European Gas and Power Price Trends: December 2007

Product Type: Market Research Report Publication Date: Feb 20, 2008
 
Request a sample from "The Infoshop", another service of Global Information.

SUMMARY

Overview

Introduction

The growing role of wholesale traded energy markets across Europe creates a greater need for players throughout the value chain to be aware of the latest market movements and developments. From the wellhead or power station gate to the end-user, volatility in the spot and forward price of power and gas is creating an increasingly challenging environment for all market participants.

Scope

  • An examination of the wholesale gas price trends in Europe's three key markets - the UK NBP, the Zeebrugge Hub and the Dutch TTF.
  • An assessment of traded power prices in the UK, Belgian, Dutch, German and French wholesale power markets.
  • Insight and analysis into the impact of wholesale markets on the wholesale / retail price interface.

Report Highlights

Underlying commodities provided little relief to suppliers as prices soared.

BEB outturned at a premium to Henry Hub prices.

European power prices continued to rise, led by French baseload prices.

Reasons to Purchase

  • Establish the current level of wholesale and retail energy prices and the fundamental drivers behind movements in the traded value of gas and power
  • Understand how wholesale pricing impacts different facets of the value chain, identifying the potential to limit risk through hedging strategies
  • Forecast future developments in the traded price of gas and power in order to successfully take advantage of arbitrage opportunities

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • DATAMONITOR VIEW
    • CATALYST
    • SUMMARY
  • ANALYSIS
    • Underlying commodities provided little relief to suppliers as prices soared
      • Underlying commodities provided little relief to suppliers as prices soared
      • West Texas Intermediate and Brent oil price spreads narrowed as prices peaked in December
      • Oil traders' parted from fundamentals as crude futures jumped
      • Coal prices will impact upon key investment decisions in 2008
      • In Europe, gas and oil product prices are decoupling
      • In the UK, there are no clear long-term links between oil and gas prices
      • Brent oil prices and NBP gas prices show little correlation
      • In Germany, BEB gas prices weakly track the crude benchmark
      • BEB outturned at a premium to Henry Hub prices
      • Gas continued to be an important fuel in the stationary sectors
      • European power prices continued to rise, led by French baseload prices
      • In Belgium, near-end prices made an upward adjustment as temperatures dropped
      • In France, wholesale power prices traded at new highs over November
      • In Germany, power prices rose as suppliers came under pressure
      • In the Netherlands, power prices firmed at the near-end of the forward curve
      • In the UK, low temperatures increased prices on all contracts
      • European gas prices increased, but mainly on the near-end
      • NBP contracts rose due to lower temperatures and supply expectations
      • The Belgian gas market mirrored the NBP, as only year ahead contracts fell
  • APPENDIX
    • This brief builds upon Datamonitor's extensive pricing proposition
    • Glossary
      • This brief contains a number of industry standard terms
    • Our analysis builds on other sources to provide greater insight
      • Further Reading
      • Extended Methodology
    • We assess the profitability of fossil fuel plants across northwest Europe
    • Our bespoke services can be tailored to your specific needs
    • Ask the analyst
    • Datamonitor consulting
    • Disclaimer
    • List of Figures
      • Figure 1: The spread between West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude oil prices has decreased over the last quarter
      • Figure 2: Price expectations for crude oil changed dramatically from six months ago, decoupling demand and supply
      • Figure 3: The price of coal will have a significant role to play in 2008's generation mix and suppliers' long-term investment decisions
      • Figure 4: Although the National Balancing Point and Brent spot markets trade within similar boundaries, the relationship is tenuous
      • Figure 5: NBP gas and Brent crude oil prices show a high degree of year-on-year variation
      • Figure 6: Gas and oil prices showed limited co-movement in the last half of 2007
      • Figure 7: Volatility in world gas markets is evident, with BEB spot prices outturning at a premium
      • Figure 8: Gas accounts for a substantial share of stationary sector energy consumption in the majority of Europe's biggest economies
      • Figure 9: European power prices continued to rise, led by French baseload prices
      • Figure 10: Contracts at the near-end of the forward curve rose sharply during December
      • Figure 11: A combination of demand drivers and regulatory change firmed French baseload contracts at their highest levels for three years
      • Figure 12: German suppliers remained under pressure as baseload prices continued their upward trend
      • Figure 13: Near-end prices rallied and characteristically followed the German market, increasing on October's close
      • Figure 14: December saw the most explicit signs of demand-side adjustment in combination with higher supply-side costs
      • Figure 15: European gas prices increased, but mainly on the near-end
      • Figure 16: Colder, less predicable weather affected all contracts at the NBP, most significantly at the short-end of the curve
      • Figure 17: Zeebrugge year ahead prices softened, while all other contracts reacted to changing temperatures and the bullish trend at the NBP
      • Figure 18: Energy pricing proposition
      • Figure 19: Generation spread methodology

Monthly Price Brief - A Review of European Gas and Power Price Trends: December 2007

Publisher: Datamonitor

Format Price Order
PDF by E-mail (Single User License) US $2795.00
All orders are processed by "www.the-infoshop.com". www.the-infoshop.com is another Global Information web site. This transfer is entirely safe.
Copyright© 2008 GII - All Rights Reserved.