*Article* **Variable Renewable Energy and Market Design: New Products and a Real-World Study**

**Hugo Algarvio 1,2 , Fernando Lopes 1,\* , António Couto <sup>1</sup> , Ana Estanqueiro <sup>1</sup> and João Santana <sup>2</sup>**


Received: 14 October 2019; Accepted: 27 November 2019; Published: 30 November 2019 -

**Abstract:** Most existing energy markets (EMs) were not designed to take into account an active participation of variable renewable energy (VRE). This situation results typically in imbalances and substantial costs in balancing markets. Such costs are reflected both in the energy and the VRE parts of the consumer tariffs. Both appropriate market products and new elements of market design may largely facilitate the large-scale integration of VRE in EMs. Accordingly, this article presents a new bilateral energy contract and introduces two new marketplaces that can contribute to reduce the imbalances resulting from VRE producers. It also presents a study conducted with the help of an agent-based tool, called MATREM. The results indicate a significant decrease in the imbalances and the associated costs.

**Keywords:** day-ahead market; balancing market; bilateral trading; market design; variable renewable energy; agent-based simulation; MATREM system
