Growth in electricity trading

Despite the economic crisis and reduced electricity consumption the trading volume in Germany grew once again in 2009: according to RWE calculations the quantifiable electricity trading volume amounts to 4,248 TWh (EEX and e-OTC, without telephone or bilateral trading). This is an increase of 292 TWh or 7% compared to 2008.
The demand for electricity in Germany comes to approximately 520 TWh – this means that every terawatt hour was traded just over eight times before the contract was fulfilled and a (physical) delivery took place.
On the European Power Exchange (an amalgamation of the German EEX and the French Powernext) a total volume of 1,228 TWh for spot trading and forward trading was turned over in 2009. The forward trading volume contains 739.7 TWh from OTC clearing (2008: 886.6 TWh).
Open interest amounted to 514.9 TWh as of 30 December 2009.
Electricity trading volume (exchanges and eOTC) for 2009 on major European markets:
- Germany: 4248 TWh (+7% or +292 TWh)
- Scandinavia: 2412 TWh (-15.25% or -434 TWh)
- France: 538 TWh (+14.47% or +68 TWh)
- Spain: 393 TWh (+25.56% or +80 TWh
- Netherlands: 270 TWh (-13.74% or -43 TWh)

More Liquidity, more competition

The integration of European trading markets is progressing swiftly and RWE’s commitment to levelling the playing field for all market participants plays a big part in this.
Germany sets standards for competition, in trading volume and in transparency.
Germany is still not considered to be a high-price market, a view that is supported by a recent scientific study by the European School of Management and Technology (the study is available for download at the end of the page).