Bringing fresh regulatory insights on energy markets in the Mediterranean
Concluding its first quarter of 2021, MEDREG brings regulatory insights on many aspects of the energy sector in the Mediterranean through the publication of various reports.
Our updated Outlook of the Mediterranean Energy Regulation offers an overview of the current role and tasks of regulators in the Mediterranean region, while our 3-page digital card gives a quick highlight on its main findings.
Three new reports shed light on the status of electricity markets in the region with a focus on national steps that can benefit and accelerate harmonization at regional level.
Embracing green energy and aiming for the decarbonization of the energy markets, MEDREG discussed mechanisms for gas markets able to foster energy transition and provided regulatory options for the integration of RES.
The protection of consumers is also benefiting from MEDREG’s work with two new reports looking at improving the quality of consumer services in Jordan and better treating vulnerable consumers.
Finally, two handbooks on past workshops sum-up and publicize peer-exchanges and relevant conclusions on specific regulatory topics, maximizing the sharing of experience.
|
|
--- What have we been up to recently? ---
|
|
Deepening technical support to our Egyptian and Palestinian members
|
|
On 9th and 10th February, MEDREG held two workshops to present and discuss the reports delivered for the Palestinian Electricity Regulator PERC on "Least cost distribution network tariff design in theory and implementation in the Palestinian Electricity System" and the one made for the Egyptian Electricity Regulator EgyptERA on "System Operator data information schemes for monitoring and planning purposes”. These workshops allowed the Palestinian and Egyptian regulators to deepen their understanding of the reports, raise any practical questions and further exchange views on the topics with the researchers and authors of the reports.
|
|
The Working Groups met to assess the main deliverables for 2021
|
|
The 30th Institutional Working Group (INS WG) meeting was the occasion to evaluate the link between MEDREG’s Good Regulatory principles and the energy transformation challenge. The group also discussed the support activity report on “Design and implementation of regulation for the gas sector”, which will be conducted in cooperation with the GAS WG to the benefit of the Jordanian Energy and Mineral Regulatory Commission (EMRC).
Additionally, the 30th Electricity Working Group (ELE WG) meeting laid the foundation for a discussion of the group’s two main deliverables for 2021: the report on “Security of supply”, which will be performed under the framework of the cooperation agreement with the fellow Associations of regulators CEER and ECRB. Also, the ELE WG addressed the technical support that will be provided to the Israeli Electricity Authority (PUA) through a study to identify the main regulatory principles and best practice to assess the regulation of master plans and investment plans for distibution networks.
Meanwhile, during the 29th Renewables Working Group (RES WG) meeting, the WG Chairs and members focused on a report that will identify the role and competences of Mediterranean regulators concerning energy efficiency measures. They also discussed the modalities and content of a pooling workshop between Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco to discuss different mechanisms in use in the Mediterranean countries and effective market design to promote RES penetration and low carbon transition cost-efficiency.
|
|
Workshop on Integrating RES in the Electricity Networks in the Med, South East Europe and the Black Sea Regions
|
|
Held virtually on 15 April by MEDREG and ECRB, the joint workshop addressed the challenges that come with a wider use of renewable energy sources.
Participants elaborated in detail how TSOs/DSOs and regulators from the ECRB and MEDREG region deal with challenges that RES are bringing to the system. The discussions from the workshop will be shared within the MEDREG and ECRB communities as a further contribution to our ongoing efforts to facilitate and develop a regionally coherent approach to renewable energy market regulation in the Mediterranean region and Energy Community.
Read more
|
|
Renewable Energy in Libya: Potential and Challenges
|
|
On 25th March, MEDREG’s Deputy Secretary-General Hasan Ozkoc spoke at the RES4Africa webinar "Renewable Energy in Libya: potential and challenges" to promote public-private dialogue on the barriers and drivers for renewable energy investments in Libya.
|
|
|
He brought his expertise regarding the role of the regulator and regulatory framework in promoting investments. Also, the event focused on RES regulation and infrastructure, as well as on the features of a bankable power purchase agreement for the renewable energy sector in Libya.
|
|
MEDREG took part in a RES4Africa workshop on cross-border PPAs between Morocco and EU
|
|
Held on 15 April, the workshop aimed at identifying barriers on PPA and proposing a set of recommendations for Morocco’s policymakers for how to address them. Ms. Veronica Lenzi, Head of the Policy and Communication Unit, presented regulatory trends in the region to cope with evolving market designs. Find out more here.
|
|
|
Launching of GAS WG Public Consultation
|
|
MEDREG performed a consultation to collect inputs from a diverse array of stakeholders on the statements and recommendations of the report on “Design mechanisms for gas market able to foster energy transition” developed by the MEDREG Natural Gas Working Group (GAS WG).
These responses will become part of a conclusion document that will shed additional light on this important energy development and that will feed MEDREG’s future work.
|
|
|
--- Latest Publications ---
|
|
MEDREG Working Groups 2020 Reports
|
|
INS WG
Periodic assessments of the current status of the regulatory framework of the countries in the Mediterranean region are key to keep an updated approach. The new version of the "Mediterranean Energy Regulatory Outlook" report developed by the INS WG presents the state of energy regulation in the Mediterranean Basin in the past years through a complete overview of the regulation of national energy sectors, including independent entities as well as governmental bodies.
Read more about it here and have a look at the digital card for a quick highlight on the approach, main findings and recommendations described in report.
|
|
|
ELE WG
Periodic assessments of the current status of the regulatory framework of the countries in the ELE WG produced three new reports to assess the current status of electricity markets and regulatory frameworks in the Mediterranean region:
|
|
|
GAS WG
The GAS WG drafted the report “Design mechanisms for gas markets able to foster energy transition”. The document focuses particularly on the current use of natural gas and its infrastructure and how it may be used in the future as transitory fuel towards the decarbonization of the energy markets.
Read the complete document here
|
|
|
RES WG
Entering a new power system era opens up challenges and opportunities and MEDREG is always on the cutting edge for its regulators in terms of transformations of the regulations and technology available in the Mediterranean. Last year, the RES Working Group prepared a report on the New Available Regulatory Options for the Integration of RES. The document considered flexibility issues and technological change and explored the way to adapt to it through the recent development of RES and the foreseen modifications to current support policies.
Download it here
|
|
|
A pillar of MEDREG is to foster the sharing of experience and good practices between its members. Last year’s two important virtual meetings represent a concrete illustration of this:
MEDREG Study Visit for GASREG to CRE
MEDREG Experts Exchange for LCEC
In order to maximize the reach of these valuable workshops, MEDREG elaborated handbooks which summarize these peer-exchanges and transcribe the main conclusions of these two meetings, to the benefit of all members and partners.
|
|
--- Upcoming Activities ---
|
|
4 May 2021
RES4Africa-MEDREG Webinar on Assessing investment risk in renewable energy
Despite its potential and growth, private investments in the renewable energy sector of the Mediterranean region are limited. Why?
The webinar will look at a survey conducted by RES4Africa and PwC which identifies and analyses the risk perception of key public and private stakeholders in seven Mediterranean countries: Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Lebanon.
Read more and register.
26 and 27 May 2021
4th Trilateral CEER-ECRB-MEDREG Workshop on Consumer Involvement and Retail Market Opening
The workshop will be the occasion for the three partners Associations to discuss consumer protection, a core pillar of CEER, ECRB and MEDREG activities and a central target of regulatory work. The event will discuss means to foster active customer engagement, while a special focus will be placed on flexibility, demand response, prosumers.
The workshop will take place on 26th and 27th May 2021.
Register.
|
|
|
|
|