given that much of the necessary conventional backup capacity is available in oecd countries and will provide the required electricity in time of need the compression effect and the resulting lower electricity prices seem to provide a welcome benefit for electricity consumers this however will change rapidly the moment that new investments in dispatchable capacity will be necessary either because existing capacity has reached the end of its operating lifetime or because new demand will have to be satisfied the first is the creation of a feedback mechanism between variable renewables and market prices