The statistic gives the average wholesale electricity spot price in 2010, by selected U.S. region. Houston had an average wholesale electricity price of around 42 U.S. dollars per megawatt hour in 2010.

It was projected that the annual average wholesale electricity price in the United States would range between 29 and 55 dollars per megawatt-hour in 2025. The Northwest price area will account for the highest electricity price, while prices will be lower in ERCOT (Electric Reliable Council of Texas).

The retail price for electricity in the United States stood at an average of ***** U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt-hour in 2024. This is the highest figure reported in the indicated period. Nevertheless, the U.S. still has one of the lowest electricity prices worldwide. As a major producer of primary energy, energy prices are lower than in countries that are more reliant on imports or impose higher taxes. Regional variations and sector disparities The impact of rising electricity costs across U.S. states is not uniform. Hawaii stands out with the highest household electricity price, reaching a staggering ***** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in September 2024. This stark contrast is primarily due to Hawaii's heavy reliance on imported oil for power generation. On the other hand, states like Utah benefit from lower rates, with prices around **** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Regarding U.S. prices by sector, residential customers have borne the brunt of price increases, paying an average of ***** U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in 2023, significantly more than commercial and industrial sectors. Factors driving price increases Several factors contribute to the upward trend in electricity prices. The integration of renewable energy sources, investments in smart grid technologies, and rising peak demand all play a role. Additionally, the global energy crisis of 2022 and natural disasters affecting power infrastructure have put pressure on the electric utility industry. The close connection between U.S. electricity prices and natural gas markets also influences rates, as domestic prices are affected by higher-paying international markets. Looking ahead, projections suggest a continued increase in electricity prices, with residential rates expected to grow by *** percent in 2024, driven by factors such as increased demand and the ongoing effects of climate change.

Annual data on the average price of retail electricity to consumers. Data organized by U.S. state and by provider, i.e., total electric industry, full-service providers, restructured retail service providers, energy-only providers, and delivery-only service. Annual time series extend back to 1990. Based on Form EIA-861 data.

This dataset provides values for ELECTRICITY PRICE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

In April 2025, the average wholesale electricity price in France amounted to 42.21 euros per megawatt-hour, a decrease from the previous month. The electricity price was more than twice as high during the same month the previous year.

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Electricity Trading Market Size 2025-2029

The electricity trading market size is forecast to increase by USD 123.5 billion at a CAGR of 6.5% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is witnessing significant growth due to several key trends. The integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, into the grid is a major driver. Energy storage systems are increasingly being adopted to ensure a stable power supply from these intermittent sources. Concurrently, the adoption of energy storage systems addresses key challenges like intermittency, enabling better integration of renewable sources, and bolstering grid resilience. Self-generation of electricity by consumers through microgrids is also gaining popularity, allowing them to sell excess power back to the grid. The entry of new players and collaborations among existing ones are further fueling market growth. These trends reflect the shift towards clean energy and the need for a more decentralized and efficient electricity system.

What will be the Size of the Electricity Trading Market During the Forecast Period?

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The market, a critical component of the global energy industry, functions as a dynamic interplay between wholesale energy markets and traditional financial markets. As a commodity, electricity is bought and sold through various trading mechanisms, including equities, bonds, and real-time auctions. The market's size and direction are influenced by numerous factors, such as power station generation data, system operator demands, and consumer usage patterns. Participants in the market include power station owners, system operators, consumers, and ancillary service providers. Ancillary services, like frequency regulation and spinning reserves, help maintain grid stability. Market design and news reports shape the market's evolution, with initiatives like the European Green Paper and the Lisbon Strategy influencing the industry's direction towards increased sustainability and competition.
Short-term trading, through power purchase agreements and power distribution contracts, plays a significant role in the market's real-time dynamics. Power generation and power distribution are intricately linked, with the former influencing the availability and price of electricity, and the latter affecting demand patterns. Overall, the market is a complex, ever-evolving system that requires a deep understanding of both energy market fundamentals and financial market dynamics.

How is this Electricity Trading Industry segmented and which is the largest segment?

The industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Day-ahead trading
  Intraday trading


Application

  Industrial
  Commercial
  Residential


Source

  Non-renewable energy
  Renewable energy


Geography

  Europe

    Germany
    UK
    France
    Italy
    Spain


  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  North America

    US


  South America



  Middle East and Africa

By Type Insights

The day-ahead trading segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

Day-ahead trading refers to the voluntary, financially binding forward electricity trading that occurs in exchanges such as the European Power Exchange (EPEX Spot) and Energy Exchange Austria (EXAA), as well as through bilateral contracts. This process involves sellers and buyers agreeing on the required volume of electricity for the next day, resulting in a schedule for everyday intervals. However, this schedule is subject to network security constraints and adjustments for real-time conditions and actual electricity supply and demand. Market operators, including ISOs and RTOs, oversee these markets and ensure grid reliability through balancing and ancillary services. Traders, including utilities, energy providers, and professional and institutional traders, participate in these markets to manage price risk, hedge against price volatility, and optimize profitability.

Key factors influencing electricity prices include weather conditions, fuel prices, availability, construction costs, and physical factors. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, also play a growing role in these markets, with the use of Renewable Energy Certificates and net metering providing consumer protection and incentives for homeowners and sustainable homes. Electricity trading encompasses power generators, power suppliers, consumers, and system operators, with contracts, generation data, and power station dispatch governed by market rules and regulations.

Get a glance at the Electricity Trading Industry report of share of various segments Request Free Sample

The day-ahead tra

An uptick in infrastructure investment has allowed electric power transmitters to raise rates, increasing revenue and profit. Since the need for electricity is inelastic, economic shifts typically do not impact transmission companies considerably. While commercial and industrial businesses were affected during lockdowns, residential consumers used more electricity because of stay-at-home orders, cushioning the blow from the slump in other sectors. As the economy reopened, revenue swelled, stemming from a combination of higher electricity prices and an expanding customer base. An uptick in government funding has also led to companies building more infrastructure and implementing smart grid technology into existing towers, optimizing performance. Nonetheless, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, during the 2020s, the U.S. constructed only 20% as many new transmission lines as it did in the first half of the 2010s. Overall, industry revenue is set to expand at a CAGR of 1.8% to $522.6 billion in 2025, including a 1.4% uptick in 2025 alone. The shift to renewable energy has dramatically benefited transmission companies, as power transmission is more necessary than ever. Government incentives have persuaded consumers and businesses to make the switch, as it is economical and environmentally friendly. Tax incentives and the push towards sustainability have seen renewable energy account for a third of energy transmitted across the country, overtaking natural gas for the number one spot. Renewable energy transmission is set to swell up through 2030 as new laws and incentives support environmentally friendly initiatives. Recently passed laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act provide tax credits and clean energy funding. More investment in smart grid technology and infrastructure is set to accelerate renewable energy transmission. Some aspects of renewable energy face potential setbacks, as President Trump's recent executive orders and memo have halted new wind project leases and restricted funding for building electric vehicle charging stations, thereby diminishing the outlook for new power lines. Despite these challenges, revenue is set to climb at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.5%, reaching $537.1 billion by 2030.

In April 2025, the highest electricity prices in the region were recorded in ***************, where *** MWh cost nearly ** euros. For comparison, in Latvia and Lithuania, the wholesale price of *** MWh was over ** euros.

Natural gas prices are the highest in the residential sector. In 2023, U.S. households paid an all time high average of 15.2 U.S. dollars per 1,000 cubic feet. Commercial natural gas costs were second-highest, while prices in the electric power sector were the lowest, at around four U.S. dollars on average. Prices for the industrial and electric power customers tend to be close to the wholesale electricity price. All sectors saw a year-on-year increase in natural gas prices in 2022 due to the decline in U.S. natural gas production in the first quarter of 2022, which resulted in high withdrawals of natural gas from storage and an increase in average natural gas prices. The growing natural gas market In recent years, the average natural gas prices for all sectors have been increasing in the United States. In 2022, the residential sector witnessed an increase in natural gas prices higher than 2008, while natural gas prices for other sectors were still lower despite increases in average natural gas prices for those sectors. Meanwhile, consumption of natural gas has increased more than any other fuel type following the 2008 Recession. Petroleum consumption has been more variable, and use of coal has significantly decreased. The price of coal and crude oil had already been increasing since the early 2000s, and was further exacerbated by the financial crisis. Around the same time, the cost of natural gas dropped significantly, making it a more viable economic alternative compared to other fossil fuels. This decrease was in part the result of drastically increased production of shale gas as a result of hydraulic fracturing and other techniques.

Electricity prices in Europe are expected to remain volatile through 2025, with Italy projected to have some of the highest rates among major European economies. This trend reflects the ongoing challenges in the energy sector, including the transition to renewable sources and the impact of geopolitical events on supply chains. Despite efforts to stabilize the market, prices in countries like Italy are forecasted to reach ****** euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, indicating persistent pressure on consumers and businesses alike. Natural gas futures shaping electricity costs The electricity market's future trajectory is closely tied to natural gas prices, a key component in power generation. Dutch TTF gas futures, a benchmark for European natural gas prices, are projected to be ***** euros per megawatt hour in April 2025. This represents an increase of about ** euros compared to the previous year, suggesting that gas prices will continue to influence electricity rates across Europe. The reduced output from the Groningen gas field and increased reliance on imports further complicate the pricing landscape, potentially contributing to higher electricity costs in countries like Italy. Regional disparities and global market influences While European electricity prices remain high, significant regional differences persist. For instance, natural gas prices in the United States are expected to be roughly one-third of those in Europe by March 2025, at **** U.S. dollars per million British thermal units. This stark contrast highlights the impact of domestic production capabilities on global natural gas prices. Europe's greater reliance on imports, particularly in the aftermath of geopolitical tensions and the shift away from Russian gas, continues to keep prices elevated compared to more self-sufficient markets. As a result, countries like Italy may face sustained pressure on electricity prices due to their position within the broader European energy market.

This repository includes python scripts and input/output data associated with the following publication:

[1] Brown, P.R.; O'Sullivan, F. "Spatial and temporal variation in the value of solar power across United States Electricity Markets". Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109594

Please cite reference [1] for full documentation if the contents of this repository are used for subsequent work.

Many of the scripts, data, and descriptive text in this repository are shared with the following publication:

[2] Brown, P.R.; O'Sullivan, F. "Shaping photovoltaic array output to align with changing wholesale electricity price profiles". Applied Energy 2019, 256, 113734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113734

All code is in python 3 and relies on a number of dependencies that can be installed using pip or conda.

Contents

• pvvm/*.py : Python module with functions for modeling PV generation and calculating PV energy revenue, capacity value, and emissions offset.
• notebooks/*.ipynb : Jupyter notebooks, including:
  • pvvm-vos-data.ipynb: Example scripts used to download and clean input LMP data, determine LMP node locations, assign nodes to capacity zones, download NSRDB input data, and reproduce some figures in [1]
  • pvvm-example-generation.ipynb: Example scripts demonstrating the use of the PV generation model and a sensitivity analysis of PV generator assumptions
  • pvvm-example-plots.ipynb: Example scripts demonstrating different plotting functions
  • validate-pv-monthly-eia.ipynb: Scripts and plots for comparing modeled PV generation with monthly generation reported in EIA forms 860 and 923, as discussed in SI Note 3 of [1]
  • validate-pv-hourly-pvdaq.ipynb: Scripts and plots for comparing modeled PV generation with hourly generation reported in NREL PVDAQ database, as discussed in SI Note 3 of [1]
  • pvvm-energyvalue.ipynb: Scripts for calculating the wholesale energy market revenues of PV and reproducing some figures in [1]
  • pvvm-capacityvalue.ipynb: Scripts for calculating the capacity credit and capacity revenues of PV and reproducing some figures in [1]
  • pvvm-emissionsvalue.ipynb: Scripts for calculating the emissions offset of PV and reproducing some figures in [1]
  • pvvm-breakeven.ipynb: Scripts for calculating the breakeven upfront cost and carbon price for PV and reproducing some figures in [1]
• html/*.html : Static images of the above Jupyter notebooks for viewing without a python kernel
• data/lmp/*.gz : Day-ahead nodal locational marginal prices (LMPs) and marginal costs of energy (MCE), congestion (MCC), and losses (MCL) for CAISO, ERCOT, MISO, NYISO, and ISONE.
  • At the time of publication of this repository, permission had not been received from PJM to republish their LMP data. If permission is received in the future, a new version of this repository will be linked here with the complete dataset.
• results/*.csv.gz : Simulation results associated with [1], including modeled energy revenue, capacity credit and revenue, emissions offsets, and breakeven costs for PV systems at all LMP nodes

Data notes

• ISO LMP data are used with permission from the different ISOs. Adapting the MIT License (https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT), "The data are provided 'as is', without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantibility, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement. In no event shall the authors or sources be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the data or other dealings with the data." Copyright and usage permissions for the LMP data are available on the ISO websites, linked below.
• ISO-specific notes on LMP data:
  • CAISO data from http://oasis.caiso.com/mrioasis/logon.do are used pursuant to the terms at http://www.caiso.com/Pages/PrivacyPolicy.aspx#TermsOfUse.
  • ERCOT data are from http://www.ercot.com/mktinfo/prices.
  • MISO data are from https://www.misoenergy.org/markets-and-operations/real-time--market-data/market-reports/ and https://www.misoenergy.org/markets-and-operations/real-time--market-data/market-reports/market-report-archives/.
  • PJM data were originally downloaded from https://www.pjm.com/markets-and-operations/energy/day-ahead/lmpda.aspx and https://www.pjm.com/markets-and-operations/energy/real-time/lmp.aspx. At the time of this writing these data are currently hosted at https://dataminer2.pjm.com/feed/da_hrl_lmps and https://dataminer2.pjm.com/feed/rt_hrl_lmps.
  • NYISO data from http://mis.nyiso.com/public/ are used subject to the disclaimer at https://www.nyiso.com/legal-notice.
  • ISONE data are from https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/web/reports/pricing/-/tree/lmps-da-hourly and https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/web/reports/pricing/-/tree/lmps-rt-hourly-final. The Material is provided on an "as is" basis. ISO New England Inc., to the fullest extent permitted by law, disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, statutory or otherwise, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, non-infringement of third parties' rights, and fitness for particular purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, ISO New England Inc. makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, date, or timeliness of the Material. ISO New England Inc. shall have no liability to you, your employer or any other third party based on your use of or reliance on the Material.
• Data workup: LMP data were downloaded directly from the ISOs using scripts similar to the pvvm.data.download_lmps() function (see below for caveats), then repackaged into single-node single-year files using the pvvm.data.nodalize() function. These single-node single-year files were then combined into the dataframes included in this repository, using the procedure shown in the pvvm-vos-data.ipynb notebook for MISO. We provide these yearly dataframes, rather than the long-form data, to minimize file size and number. These dataframes can be unpacked into the single-node files used in the analysis using the pvvm.data.copylmps() function.

Usage notes

• Code is provided under the MIT License, as specified in the pvvm/LICENSE file and at the top of each *.py file.
• Updates to the code, if any, will be posted in the non-static repository at https://github.com/patrickbrown4/pvvm_vos. The code in the present repository has the following version-specific dependencies:
  • matplotlib: 3.0.3
  • numpy: 1.16.2
  • pandas: 0.24.2
  • pvlib: 0.6.1
  • scipy: 1.2.1
  • tqdm: 4.31.1
• To use the NSRDB download functions, you will need to modify the "settings.py" file to insert a valid NSRDB API key, which can be requested from https://developer.nrel.gov/signup/. Locations can be specified by passing (latitude, longitude) floats to pvvm.data.downloadNSRDBfile(), or by passing a string googlemaps query to pvvm.io.queryNSRDBfile(). To use the googlemaps functionality, you will need to request a googlemaps API key (https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key) and insert it in the "settings.py" file.
• Note that many of the ISO websites have changed in the time since the functions in the pvvm.data module were written and the LMP data used in the above papers were downloaded. As such, the pvvm.data.download_lmps() function no longer works for all ISOs and years. We provide this function to illustrate the general procedure used, and do not intend to maintain it or keep it up to date with the changing ISO websites. For up-to-date functions for accessing ISO data, the following repository (no connection to the present work) may be helpful: https://github.com/catalyst-cooperative/pudl.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods: Wholesale Distribution of Electrical and Electronic Goods (PCU4230004230006) from Feb 2009 to May 2019 about distributive, merchant, wholesale, electronics, electricity, durable goods, goods, PPI, industry, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Most US consumers are charged near-constant retail price for electricity, despite substantial hourly variation in the wholesale market price. This paper evaluates the first program to expose residential consumers to hourly real-time pricing (RTP). I find that enrolled households are statistically significantly price elastic and that consumers responded by conserving energy during peak hours, but remarkably did not increase average consumption during off-peak times. The program increased consumers surplus by $10 per household per year. While this is only one to two percent of electricity costs, it illustrates a potential additional benefit from investment in retail Smart Grid applications, including the advanced electricity meters required to observe a household's hourly consumption.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers: Primary Services (PCU423600423600P) from Feb 2009 to May 2025 about merchant, appliances, wholesale, electronics, primary, electricity, households, goods, services, PPI, industry, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Ireland, Italy, and Germany had some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide, as of March 2025. At the time, Irish households were charged around 0.45 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, while in Italy, the price stood at 0.43 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. By comparison, in Russia, residents paid almost 10 times less. What is behind electricity prices? Electricity prices vary widely across the world and sometimes even within a country itself, depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and politically determined taxes and levies. For example, in Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden, taxes constitute a significant portion of residential end-user electricity prices. Reliance on fossil fuel imports Meanwhile, thanks to their great crude oil and natural gas production output, countries like Iran, Qatar, and Russia enjoy some of the cheapest electricity prices in the world. Here, the average household pays less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. In contrast, countries heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports for electricity generation are more vulnerable to market price fluctuations.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (PCU42364236) from Feb 2009 to May 2025 about merchant, appliances, wholesale, electronics, electricity, households, goods, PPI, industry, price index, indexes, price, and USA.