After the frights experienced last winter due to the limitations imposed by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) on the operation of EDF’s nuclear power stations (see our Newsletter N°5 from April 2017), the price of electricity led a quiet life. Throughout the year, these prices rose, driven upwards by the price of coal. Shocking […]
Chilliness in the French electricity market – déjà vu? Read More »
With an estimated cost of EUR520 billion by 2025, electricity bills for average households more than doubling by the same date, utilities facing huge impairments, the electricity system losing reliability, and with rather poor results obtained in terms of environmental targets originally set, the German Energy Transition process (Energiewende) may well be deemed a complete
Energiewende: a turning point ahead? Read More »
The draft legislation ‘bringing an end to the search for and processing of conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbon fuels and resulting in several provisions regarding the environment’, presented in early September by the French government, must allow for the re-launch of natural gas storage in France. An initial attempt to bring about reform through an order
Storage regulation: it’s in the works! Read More »
Up until this point, France has not been particularly noted for its punctuality in transposing the European Directives relating to the energy sector. In fact, it was only in 10 February 2000, that being more than a year late, that the Directive of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal electricity market was
The French capacity mechanism is on track to get the better of European rules Read More »
For a few weeks now, we’ve had a brand new President in France. More recently still, President Macron won a parliamentary majority, new in their role (415 members sit for the first time in the National Assembly). Such a singular situation of massive legislative support, without a past, offers a unique opportunity for the presidency
An opportunity to seize Read More »
During the presentation of its results for the first quarter of 2017 on 9 May 2017, EDF highlighted the negative impact on turnover in France of ARENH (Regulated Access to Historic Nuclear Electricity) sales and market activity: -49 million € allocated ‘mainly to production and sourcing for ARENH subscription’; and causing Xavier Girre (CFO EDF)
Questioning the ARENH mechanism Read More »
Among the work left unfinished by the previous government, reforming third-party access to natural gas storage (ATS) features prominently. Indeed, significant preparation and consultation work had been put forth by all parties involved (the ministry, the CRE [Energy Regulatory Commission], suppliers, etc.) as a consequence of the French Energy Transition for Green Growth Law (LTECV)
Gas Storage: What’s the state of play? Read More »
Starting last December, a capacity market has been introduced in France. This compensation of generation capacities by peak period consumers, planned since 2010 by the NOME [New Organisation of the Market for Electricity] law, was granted by Europe on the express condition that cross-border players could participate. Article 4.3 of the directive on security of
When power capacity markets cross borderlines Read More »
I would like to start this article by quoting F. Brottes, chairman of the French Transport System Operator (RTE), referring to Wednesday 25 January this year: “Our company had never before (…) experienced such a tense situation, at the limits of the supply-demand balance, because we had never had such shortfall in production (…) We
This winter, we touched the limits of the French electricity system Read More »
After a long period of decline, gas prices rose sharply in France from mid-2016 onwards: This trend, partly explained by the rise in oil prices, also came along with increased volatility, especially in the southern trading region (TRS). What is the significance of this development, since the European gas market should have benefited fully from
LNG Surplus: Where did it go? Read More »
Each month, one of our experts publishes an article describing his view on a specific topic of the constant changes taking place in the energy market, with special focus on the French market.
“Decarbonization of the Energy and Transport sectors is arguably today’s main economic driver for the industry.”
His career started in civil engineering as a Project Manager in France, Martinique and Australia. Afterwards, he became the General Manager of a subsidiary in Venezuela. In 1992, he established Dalkia in Germany (district heating, cogeneration, and partnerships) and represented Véolia in Thailand. In 2000, he opened the commercial office of Endesa in France to take advantage of the liberalized retail market. From 2006, as a development Manager at Endesa France, he led Endesa’s plan for Combined Cycle generation in France and developed the wind and PV portfolio of Snet at the same time. Philippe Boulanger worked for 3 years at E.ON’s headquarters coordinating the company´s activities in France. He was strongly involved in the French hydro concession renewal project. As a Senior Vice President – Project Director at Solvay Energy Services from April 2012 to February 2014 he was in charge of the H2/Power to gas and European direct market access deployment projects. Philippe has been an HES expert since 2014.
Philippe Boulanger holds engineering degrees both from the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts & Chaussées (France) and has a combined experience of more than 25 years in energy and infrastructure. In addition to English, Mr. Boulanger is fluent in French, German & Spanish.
“The world is changing. New investors pay particular attention to the energy sector while historical actors adapt their position to the market.”
Antonio started his career in the electricity sector in 1991 working as a member of the General Manager’s team at Sevillana de Electricidad (Spain). In 1997, he was appointed head of commercial regulation at Endesa Distribución. In 2000, he joined the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) department of Endesa Europe. He was appointed Managing Director of Endesa Power Trading Ltd (UK) in 2003. A year later, he became responsible for energy management at SNET (France). In 2008, he was appointed Managing Director of SNET (France). In 2009, he became Director of Corporate Development at E.ON France. In 2011, he founded Haya Energy Solutions (HES), a consulting firm focused on optimising the energy management of consumers, producers and retailers of gas and electricity. From 2015 to 2018, Antonio combined the consulting activity at HES with the general management of 2 production facilities in France (2 CCGTs x 410MW), owned by KKR. At the end of 2018, he joined Asterion Industrial Partners, an infrastructure investment fund, as an operating partner. Antonio currently devotes most of his efforts to the Asterion Portfolio, while advising through HES companies in the energy sector in France, Italy, Germany, UK and Spain.
Antonio graduated from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros of Seville (Spain) and holds an MBA degree from Deusto University (Spain).
