How may CCS technology affect the electricity market in North-Western Europe?

Abstract: The EU electricity market is changing. Electricity demand in Europe is on the rise, the power plant fleet is aging, and a large share of the capacity will need to be replaced in the coming decades. An ambitious target has been formulated for the share of renewable energy, and CO₂ prices are anticipated to increase. On top of this, CO₂ Capture and Storage (CCS) has appeared as an important technology in the transition to a long term sustainable energy supply. This paper discusses the implications all of the above developments for the EU electricity market, with an emphasis on the market North Western Europe. On the whole electricity prices in North Western Europe until 2020 are anticipated to increase, but this may only partly be ascribed to the pending introduction of CCS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]