Electricity prices can change significantly within just a few hours. Particularly in autumn and winter, sharp price peaks are becoming increasingly common in the morning and evening. What causes these fluctuations, and what do they mean for business energy consumers?
The electricity market is constantly changing. Prices depend not only on how much electricity we consume, but also on when renewable energy is available. These differences become particularly noticeable in autumn and winter. Shorter days and lower solar generation mean that wind power has a greater influence on electricity prices.
This can lead to significant price differences within a single day, a trend that was clearly visible across European electricity markets in October.
In summer, solar panels often start generating electricity early in the day, allowing renewable energy to cover a large share of morning demand. In autumn and winter, this pattern changes.
Not only are the days shorter, but the sun is also lower in the sky. This reduces the intensity of sunlight, meaning solar panels generally generate less electricity. Solar generation also starts later in the morning and ends earlier in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, electricity demand still rises in the morning, regardless of the season. Businesses start operating, equipment is switched on and households consume more electricity. At this point, relatively little solar power is available.
When wind generation is also limited, other energy sources must step in to meet demand. These are often gas- or coal-fired power plants, which generally have higher generation costs. As a result, electricity prices can rise rapidly.
A similar situation occurs in the evening. Solar generation drops away while electricity demand remains relatively high. If wind generation also declines, prices can peak again.
Want to learn more about how electricity prices are determined? Read our article, “How electricity prices are determined”.
The scale of these price differences became clear on 14 October 2026, when the Dutch electricity market experienced two distinct price peaks.
In the morning, electricity prices rose from around €120/MWh overnight to €368/MWh at 9:00 a.m. Wind generation was very limited at the time, while solar generation was only gradually picking up. By around 2:00 p.m., the situation had changed significantly. Solar generation increased, pushing Dutch electricity prices down to approximately €95/MWh. However, this decline was short-lived. As the sun set and wind generation fell further, conventional power plants had to increase their output again. Consequently, evening prices climbed back towards €300/MWh.
Significant price differences were also visible on 20 October. At 12:30 p.m., electricity prices stood at €92.94/MWh, before rising to €265.94/MWh by 6:45 p.m. That represents an increase of no less than 186% in just over six hours. This shows how significantly electricity prices can fluctuate throughout the day and why the timing of electricity consumption is becoming increasingly important.
It also highlights how strongly the availability of renewable energy influences electricity prices within a single day.
While solar power mainly influences electricity prices during daylight hours, wind generation can cause significant price differences throughout the entire day.
On windy days, more low-cost electricity is available. This reduces the need for more expensive fossil-fuel power plants and can help keep market prices lower. When wind generation is limited, the opposite happens. This is particularly relevant in autumn and winter. As solar generation declines, wind availability becomes an increasingly important factor in determining electricity prices.
The interconnected nature of European electricity markets also plays a role. The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria are part of an interconnected electricity market. Changes in generation and demand in one country can therefore affect prices in neighbouring countries, partly due to their dependence on electricity imports. The availability of France's extensive nuclear power generation capacity also plays a significant role in electricity price formation across European energy markets.
This was also evident on 14 October. While morning prices differed considerably between the four countries, they converged in the evening. Between 7:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., electricity prices in all four countries were around €300/MWh.
Significant price differences throughout the day show that energy costs depend not only on how much electricity a business consumes, but also on its consumption profile and procurement strategy. Price fluctuations can affect energy costs in different ways.
Developments in the electricity market highlight the close relationship between weather conditions, seasonal changes and electricity demand. Particularly in autumn and winter, limited wind and solar generation during peak demand periods can lead to sharp price increases.
For businesses, understanding their electricity consumption and developments in the energy market is therefore increasingly valuable. We help businesses translate these insights into an energy procurement strategy that suits their needs. By combining opportunities in the spot and forward markets, businesses can manage price risks and find the right balance between flexibility and price certainty.