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OKFor a producer like Alpiq to meet the day-to-day demand for electricity, we need to have a sophisticated asset trading capability. It’s a 24/7 business: the demand and the non-controllable production from renewable energy sources changes constantly. Some factors, such as regulatory developments or the phase-out of coal and nuclear, influence demand and market prices several years ahead. Other factors, like temperature, windspeed and sunshine hours, drive demand over a much shorter timeframe, even real-time. With our extremely powerful and flexible hydropower plants in Switzerland, Alpiq can be seen as a key enabler of renewable energy sources to be well and efficiently integrated in the energy market.
We spoke to the Head Asset Trading, Christoph Bellin, to find out more about asset-backed trading.
The potential to harness the solar energy is vast. Alpiq intends to make greater use of this energy source – for example with PV systems on the rooftops of large industrial companies or farming properties. We visited Henri Julmy in Ponthaux in the canton of Fribourg. Since the end of June, he has been generating solar electricity on his farm.
After more than six years of construction work, the Fionnay and Nendaz hydropower plants, as well as the waterfall that connects Lac des Dix to these two power plants, have been partially recommissioned. This is nine months ahead of the original schedule, which means that the facilities are available at a time when Switzerland is in particular need of electricity.
The municipality of Leytron, Genedis and Alpiq are joining forces to develop an alpine solar power project on the heights of Ovronnaz. The production potential is estimated at 40 GWh per year, a significant part of which will be produced in winter. The gradual commissioning is planned from 2025.