EU ETS Auctions Workshop

Summary

The Electricity Policy Research Group (EPRG) hosted a one-day workshop designed to address the economic and technical issues relating to auctions for CO2 allowances in the European Emissions Trading Scheme. The workshop was underwritten by Climate Strategies and contributes to the research programme of the EPRG.

The programme comprised short presentations and discussion, involving all delegates to identify areas of shared understanding and aspects that require further analysis or discussion. Participation was by invitation only. 26 delegates attended, of which 15 were from academic, 4 policy and 7 business backgrounds. The workshop was conducted under the Chatham House Rule.

The workshop addressed the following themes:

• Auction format; Impact on investment certainty; Impact on prices level (strategic effects); Revenue recycling and competitiveness; Coordination across Europe;
• Experience from other markets;
• CO2 auction formats;
• Price impacts and transaction costs;
• Revenue recycling.

A workshop report Auctions for CO2 Allowances – A Straw Man by Karsten Neuhoff is now available for download. Comments are welcome.

Presentations

Download PDF files of the programme and presentations:

• Programme
• Introduction and overview of key issues, Karsten Neuhoff, University of Cambridge
• US power market auctions, Mary Sharpe-Hayes, New England ISO
• T-Bond auctions, Andreas Pick, University of Cambridge
• Hungarian allowance sales in Phase 1, Peter Kaderjak, University of Budapest
• The US RGGI program, Dallas Burtraw, Resources for the Future
• The UK ETS auction, Stephen Smith, University College London
• Irish auctions for CO2 allowances: learning from Phase 1, Ken Macken, Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland
• ETS Auctions – Investor perspective, Jonathan Mirrless-Black, Exane BNP Paribas
• Organizational set-up of EU ETS-auctions, Stefan Teis, EEX
• Trading aspects, Rupert Edwards, Climate Change Capital [presentation unavailable]
• Options for revenue recycling, Martina Priebe, IETA
• Legal dimensions of recylcing income from EU ETS Allowance Auctions, Angus Johnston, University of Cambridge