Wind energy record broken: electricity price to lowest level this year

In concrete terms, this involved 4,505 MW of wind energy produced at 7:15 am, or the capacity of about four nuclear reactors.

Thanks to expansion at sea

The new record is partly due to the expansion of the wind farm, both on land and at sea, says Elia. A lot of wind is also expected for the following days, which according to trader Matthias Detremmerie will be translated into a low electricity price, with even “very negative intraday prices”, whereby large energy consumers receive money when they use electricity.

For electricity delivered on Thursday, the average price on Wednesday is 33.22 euros per megawatt hour. That is the lowest level this year. At the end of August, the electricity price for delivery the next day reached an unprecedented peak of an average of 700.41 euros per megawatt hour.

No shortages

In recent months, the price fell again, except for a resurgence in mid-December due to the freezing cold and the lack of wind. Wind energy and nuclear energy will suffice until the end of the year to provide CO2-free production for Belgium’s entire electricity demand, notes Detremmerie.

Shortages may only occur during the evening peak, but these could be more than compensated by the hydroelectric power plants of Coo.