How do you forecast what thousands of customers will consume or generate every half hour, then use that insight to price contracts, hedge risk and trade smarter?

In this episode of PowerCast, David from EDF Wholesale Market Services sits down with volume forecasting experts Emily Short and Steve Pugh to reveal the hidden function that underpins accurate pricing and confident trading across power, gas and renewables.

Emily explains how the team produces reliable forecasts multiple times a day, why data quality is everything, and the sheer scale involved: EDF supplies around 40 to 50 TWh of consumption, forecasts 4 to 5 years ahead, and looks as far as 20 years ahead for renewable offtake.

Steve takes us into the renewables challenge: onboarding much larger wind and solar PPAs, building site-specific models for bespoke assets, increasing automation for round-the-clock support, and pushing accuracy further by interrogating the limits of weather forecasting and exploring blended providers. The conversation also covers tightening NESO requirements in the Balancing Mechanism and why that creates both pressure and opportunity for EDF as renewable portfolios grow.

A practical, behind-the-scenes look at how forecasting helps EDF stay ahead of market volatility, support sales teams with sharper pricing, and manage risk as the system evolves.

This month we're joined by market analysts Curtis Higgins and Will Illesley to review how GB power markets performed in November, covering wholesale prices, the Balancing Mechanism and ancillary services.

November was characterised by strong renewable generation and a generally stable system, which led to narrower market spreads and slightly lower battery revenues compared with October. A cold snap mid month increased demand and created short periods of price volatility, but prices eased later in the month as wind generation increased and reliance on gas reduced. The episode also highlights a notable milestone for wind, with Great Britain setting a new maximum wind generation record during November.

The discussion includes a clear explainer on triads and why they matter for flexible assets, including how potential triad days influence optimisation strategies and spill over into frequency response and wholesale markets. The team also explores Balancing Mechanism trends, where volumes remained high but value softened, and how ongoing grid constraints, particularly in Scotland, continue to shape market outcomes.

In this episode of PowerCast, David from EDF’s Wholesale Market Services team is joined by Barney Gilmore, Flexibility Product Lead, and Ross Irvine, Senior Manager for PPA Origination and Structuring, to unpack the fast-growing world of co-located solar and battery projects.

Using a recently signed solar plus battery deal as a case study, they explore how co-location works in practice: from sharing a single grid connection and choosing between AC and DC coupling, to combining CFD-backed PPAs with merchant battery optimisation and floor products. They also dig into the contractual challenges, capacity market obligations, and why having a single counterparty for PPA and optimisation can simplify delivery.

The discussion finishes with a look at what comes next: larger transmission-connected batteries, potential wind and hydrogen co-location, and evolving CFD and negative price protections. This episode is for developers, investors and corporates who want to understand how to structure bankable co-located assets and get the most value from every megawatt.