Project references

We are proud of the projects we have delivered. Below you find examples of the large and smaller assignments we have implemented for clients from the public and private sector.

Home battery storage (Sonnen). Analytic support for home battery storage operation. 2022.

PV support scheme design (Swissgrid). Development of a support scheme for solar energy with a focus on generation adequacy. 2022.

Electricity market design (Agora Energiewende). Support of Germany’s leading energy think tank on assessments of and proposals for electricity market design. 2022-23.

Consumer centric market design (50 Hertz). Elia/50 Hertz look into retail electricity markets to integrate flexible consumers, in particular by facilitating submetering and split supply of individual assets. We advised on feasibility and necessary regulatory changes in Germany. 2022.

Balancing markets (Utility). For a European utility, we provided an assessment of multiple European balancing markets including long-term forecasts. 2022.

Strommarkttreffen (Agora Energiewende). For many years, Neon organized and grew Strommarkttreffen, a professional network that links researchers with practitioners. Agora Energiewende supported us financially. 2016-21.

Gaming (TenneT). As part of a larger research project, German TSO TenneT is looking into local markets for flexibility, in particular smart EV charging. We provide a game theoretical assessment, partnering with Takon and ZEW. 2021-24.

Coal phase out (BMWi). Germany’s government committed to cancel carbon certificates along with its coal phase-out. In this project with Aurora, we provided estimates how many certificates to delete. 2021-23.

EU electricity market design (BMWK). Advice on wholesale markets, balancing, redispatch and bidding zone delimitation for Germany’s Economics Ministry in the context of the Fit-for-55 negotiations. Neon leads several work packages, Consentec coordinating the project. 2021-23.

Future Energy Outlook (TransitionZero). We advised think tank TransitionZero in various aspects of setting up a global energy outlook, including recruitment and technical model development. 2021-22.

Charging infrastructure (Agora Verkehrswende). For Agora Verkehrswende, we looked at different financing models for e-vehicle fast chargers. 2021-22. Report

Intraday / balancing (multi client). For a group of German electricity trading houses, we assessed the German intraday electricity market. Using state-of-the-art econometrics, we found the activation of balancing reserves to be followed by price movements. 2021. Report

Flex-in-market (Elia Group). For Elia Group we assessed the incentives implied in multiple variants of their flexibility market proposals, in particular incentives for inc-dec gaming. 2020-21. Report

Redispatch for loads (BMWi). Outline of an incentive-based participation of electricity consumers in Germany’s redispatch system based on capacity payments. Key design parameters are assessed with respect to incentive compatibility, economic efficiency, and incentives for gaming. Study for the Economics Ministry. 2020-21.

Procurement of ancillary services (BMWi). Assessment of market-based procurement of non-frequency ancillary services such as inertia, black start capability, reactive power and voltage support in the context of the EU Clean Energy Package. Neon co-leads the work package on market concepts for ancillary services. 2019-21.

System imbalances (Trading company). During three episodes in June 2019, Germany’s power system was heavily out of balance. For a European trading house, we provided expertise and analysis on the reasons and regulatory implications. 2019-20.

Italy’s PUN (BMWi). The Italian electricity market has six different bidding zones, but consumers pay a uniform prezzio nationale unico (PUN). For Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, we assessed the pro’s and con’s of such an arrangement. 2020.

Future market design (Utility). Neon supported an internal strategy process to assess alternative scenarios of future European power market designs. 2019.

Nodal pricing (Forum Energii). Workshops on nodal pricing in Poland for the think tank Forum Energii and transmission system operator PSE. 2018.

UK wind value (RE project developer). We assessed the capture price of UK onshore and offshore wind, identifying drivers and singling out differences to other European markets. 2018.

Electricity supply contract (Industrial company). Expert evaluation of a long-term electricity supply contract for a large-scale energy-intensive industrial consumer as part of a litigation case. 2018.

RE auction design (BMWi). Evaluation of Germany’s renewable energy auctions and assessment of reform options on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy. Navigant served as project lead. Neon contributed analyses of system-friendly wind power and locational signals. 2018-20. Report

Open modeling (BMWi). Study on open source energy system modeling and open data in the energy sector for BMWi. Neon lead a consortium of DIW Berlin, TU Berlin and ETH Zurich. 2018-20. OPSD | Report | Paper

Market-based redispatch (BMWi). Large study on competitive procurement of redispatch resources and local flexibility markets. Our core conclusion was that the risk of inc-dec gaming likely outweighs potential benefits. Neon served as project lead of a large consortium. 2017-20. Markt/Netz report (DE) | Final Report (DE | EN)

Grid benefits of offshore wind (RE project developer). Neon delivered input to a policy paper, assessing the grid and system benefits of offshore wind, driver by high capacity factors.

EU electricity market design (BMWi). Policy advice on wholesale market and balancing market design for Germany’s Economics Ministry in the context of the Clean Energy Package. Neon was member of a consortium with Connect Energy Economics, Consentec, and others. 2016-19.

ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (European Commission). Quality assessment of the data provided by European Transmission System Operators for DG Energy, Brussels. 2017. An article based on this study appeared in Applied Energy. Report | Article

Wind value lift (RE project developer). Evaluation of design options and operation strategies to improve the economics of wind power under market conditions. 2016-17.

Trading benchmark (Trading company). Regulatory assessment and quantitative cost benchmarks for portfolio management costs of renewable energy for the trading department of a major European utility. 2017.

Nodal vs. zonal pricing (BMWi). Consulting on locational price signals in wholesale markets for Germany’s Economics Ministry. Joint project with Consentec. 2016-17. Report (DE)

Open Power System Data (BMWi). Construction of an online platform for European power system data. Neon coordinated a team of three research institutes. 2015-17. Platform

RE time series (Utility). Neon provided in-feed time series of wind and solar power from re-analysis models. 2016.

Electricity market design (IEA-RETD). Assessment of long-term wholesale and retail power market design under very high shares of variable renewables in cooperation with FTI CL Energy. 2015-16. Report

Benefits of hydro flexibility (Utility). Model-based assessment of capture prices for a European utility. Neon provided a model-based assessment of the market value of wind energy and hydroelectricity. 2016.

Price drop (Swedish Energy). Swedish wholesale power prices declined by two thirds from 2010 to 2015. Neon conducted a model-based assessment of the reasons for this price drop. 2016. Report

Wind value in the Nordics (Energiforsk). Model-based assessment of the market value of wind energy in the hydro-dominated power system of the Nordic region. Neon designed the study, developed the model, and wrote the report, which appeared in Applied Energy. 2016. More

Model development (Trading company). Neon supported the trading department of a major European utility in power market model development. 2015.

Whole system costs (DECC). Neon reviewed a report on whole system costs of wind and solar power for the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, London. 2015. Report

RE integration cost (Agora Energiewende). Qualitative study for Agora Energiewende. Neon advised Agora and helped implement workshops in Berlin and Paris. 2015. Report

System-friendly wind and solar power (IEA). Model-based study for the International Energy Agency. Neon assessed the market and system benefits of low-wind speed turbines and west-oriented PV. 2014-16. Paper