I did a bit of digging about the Belgian power market because I was reading about the work “carbon footprint” where work claims it is carbon neutral. Didn’t pass the sniff test in my opinion…
However in my digging I came across this article.
Specifically this bit.
The Elia grid’s net import balance is therefore: 3,400 – 700 = 2,700 MW.
The diagrams in this presentation illustrate these situations.
Why can Elia not import electricity at both borders during critical winter peak periods?
As a transmission system operator, it is perfectly possible – and even technically preferable! – for Elia to distribute import flows across both borders, which would enable it to import more.
However, as explained above, it is the wholesale electricity market that determines the direction in which flows will be bought and sold. Elia’s hypothesis for the upcoming winter peak period is based on international analyses and assumes that there will be no energy available in France for purchase from Belgium and that France will purchase energy from Northern Europe, with limited transit through Belgium.
Especially the bit that says, “Elia’s hypothesis for the upcoming winter peak period is based on international analyses and assumes that there will be no energy available in France for purchase from Belgium and that France will purchase energy from Northern Europe”
What does that mean? It means, to me, that France is selling as much electricity as it can to the UK, at the highest per kwh sell on price in the UK, so that they can make more profit. All the other energy markets are heavily regulated by their governments. The UK, of course, lives the open markets and low regulation.
And gets shafted!
