European power traders look to different sources of data

With renewables accounting for a significant and growing proportion of Europe's electricity production, energy traders are increasingly turning to different sources of data to help them gauge the impact. Gillian Carr reports

European power traders have had a trying time over the past few years, as an onslaught of generation from renewable sources has fundamentally changed the continent's energy mix. While natural gas, coal and nuclear power were once the preferred means of electricity generation in Europe, heavy subsidies have caused renewables – including solar, wind and hydropower – to account for a rapidly growing share.

Renewable energy is intermittent – in other words, it cannot be turned on all the time – and