A Review of the Wholesale Gas Trends in Europe's Three Key Markets of the UK NBP, Zeebrugge Hub and Dutch TTF in March 2008

Business Wire,  June 24, 2008  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/19793a/monthly_price_brie) has announced the addition of the "Monthly Price Brief - A Review of European Gas and Power Price Trends: March 2008" report to their offering.

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.

Highlights:

Profitability in coal-fired generation dropped as spreads narrowed. Price determination is most efficient at the NBP NW European power curves appear to have peaked for 2008.

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.

Key Topics Covered:

- UKs clean generation spreads illustrate coals long run profitability

- Belgians spreads are the least ambiguous longer term

- Coal has always been the choice fuel in Holland

- German generation spreads mirror the Dutch gas market

- Coal prices will drive the demand for CCGT and alternative sources of power generation

- The EU-ETS will play a fundamental part in determining investment decisions in the power sector

- Price determination is most efficient at the NBP - Europe's most liquid and efficient gas market

- The Belgian gas hub illustrates a drop in liquidity over time

- Contracts at the BEB appear to be thinly traded by volume

- NW European power curves appear to have peaked for 2008

- Belgian Month-Ahead contracts slide as prices firm further out

- French Month-Ahead contracts dip significantly through 2008

- German Month-Ahead continue to soften through Q4 and Q1

- Dutch curves track bullish German power trading sentiment through March 2008

- UK baseload prices firm at the far-end whilst dipping near the front

- Gas trades lower through March as forward outlook turns bearish

- Contracts going out on the NBP softened as UK storage was fully booked for 2008/09

- TTF Year-Ahead contracts are on the up whilst near-end prices fall

- Zeebrugge gas prices dip cautiously, mirroring the NBP

- List of Figures

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/19793a/monthly_price_brie.

Source: Datamonitor

COPYRIGHT 2008 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning