Introducing: Economics of Electricity Markets!
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Dr. David Brown during an interview for Future Energy Systems
Economics professor and Future Energy Systems researcher Dr. David Brown has carved out a niche at the University of Alberta as an energy economist. He holds a Canada Research Chair in Energy Economics and Policy and has dedicated his career to understanding all areas of the electricity sector from an economic perspective. Most recently, he has focused his attention on the crucial question of electric vehicle integration, and methods for creating flexibility in the demand side of the electricity grids, by building an understanding of household decisions and how people’s behaviours influence electricity demand.
To help share his expertise about these aspects of the energy transition with the general public, David has partnered with Dr. Andrew Eckert to develop a micro-credential course in the economics of electricity markets. The course is a part of the Government of Alberta’s incentive to support micro-credential courses for the public—since energy is a huge topic of interest in current affairs and policy, an energy economics course naturally received a lot of support. The hybrid-style course will be offered through the University of Alberta’s economics department beginning the Winter 2025 semester. It will be offered one night a week for three hours, making it a flexible option for those with busy schedules.
David describes the micro-credential course as an introduction for those wanting to learn more about the energy sector: “It’s like an Economics 101 course, where we explore how electricity markets work, economic principles of these markets, and the influence of technology and infrastructure. And it’s not just for students—anyone can take the course!” The course will provide a thorough understanding of electricity market economics. It includes the history of electricity markets and the roles of policy, regulation, innovation and technology.
“We’ll start with the history of market restructuring, and work up to today’s relevant factors, like technology and innovation,” David reveals. “This course is a holistic view of the markets, where we are today and how we got here. I’m excited to offer perspectives on how new technologies go through stages before reaching consumers, and how these play into forward-looking issues, like today’s net-zero debate.”
UofA Student Discount: Students (undergraduate and graduate) can register for a reduced fee of $50. There are limited seats available. To register students must create an account on CERegister first if they do not have an account already (using their @ualberta.ca email account) and fill out this Form).
Course Description
Well-functioning electricity markets are crucial to every aspect of our society. Starting in February 2025, Professors David Brown and Andrew Eckert will teach the continuing education course Electricity Markets at the University of Alberta. To learn more about the course and register click Here.
This short course (seven three-hour sessions) will cover the fundamentals of how electricity markets function, with a particular focus on Alberta. Alberta's electricity market is in a period of significant transition with its increasing reliance on renewable generation and evolving market framework. This course will catch participants up to speed on how we got here, the ongoing market evolution, and compare Alberta’s market to the design used in other regions.
Lectures will be held on Tuesdays at 6 pm, starting on February 4, 2025 Participants can move between online and in-person instruction as they see fit.
About Andrew Eckert
Andrew Eckert is currently a Professor in the Department of Economics. He obtained his PhD from the University of British Columbia and has been with the University of Alberta since 2000, after spending a year as an economist at the Competition Bureau. His research interests lie in industrial organization, competition policy and energy economics. Andrew’s research has been published in journals including The Energy Journal, Canadian Journal of Economics, Journal of Law and Economics, Journal of Industrial Economics, International Journal of Industrial Organization and Journal of Regulatory Economics. In 2011, Andrew was awarded the University of Alberta Faculty of Arts Research Award for Associate Professor. From 2014-2015 he was a visiting scholar at the Alberta Utilities Commission.
About David Brown
David Brown holds a Canada Research Chair in Energy Economics & Policy at the University of Alberta. His research lies at the intersection of energy economics, industrial organization, and regulatory policy. In particular, David's research analyzes the effects of regulatory policies on the performance of electricity markets. This includes research that measures market power execution in wholesale power markets; analyzes the impacts of mergers and market structure changes; designs regulations to motivate utilities to invest in cost-effective distributed energy resources; and analyzes the distributional impacts of emerging technologies. The objective of his work is to gain insights into the impact of imperfect competition on market outcomes and to design regulatory policies to improve the operation of electricity markets.
Further Reading
Dynamic load control and EV charging field experiment: Future Energy Systems
Market Design for Increased Wind Generation: Future Energy Systems
Regulation and Integration of Solar PV into Electricity Markets: Future Energy Systems