Mark your calendars for the XIV RELOP Conference on Energy Vector Integration: 9 November 2023, from 08h30 to 16h30. While the event takes place in Sal, Cape Verde, you can still be a part of the debate no matter where you are. We are excited to announce that the Conference will be live-streamed on the RELOP YouTube channel, allowing you to tune in and catch all the insights and discussions in real time. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to engage with energy experts and visionaries from around the world. Save the date and join us online!
On November 9, 2023, the XIV Annual RELOP Conference will be held on the island of Sal in Cape Verde.
With the overarching goal of addressing issues that reflect the current energy landscape, this year’s conference will explore the theme of “Integration of Energy Vectors.” The objective is to promote dialogue on the convergence and coordination of different energy sources. The integration of energy sources is pivotal to ensuring a successful transition and strengthening the sector’s resilience.
Key topics include the security of energy supply, active costumers, energy storage, participation of demand response, and the challenges associated with integrating new energy carriers. This conference offers a unique perspective on how countries and their regulatory bodies approach the complexity of integrating energy carriers to tackle global challenges.
The event will serve as a meeting point for energy sector professionals, drawing in over 100 Portuguese-speaking experts in the field, esteemed academics, companies, and affiliated associations.
RELOP and ALSF have teamed up to create a series of legal webinars, with the first session on “Public procurement in the energy sector”, in virtual format, on 3 October 2023. This session presented highlights on the legal complexities involved in energy project contracting.
Attended by 45 participants from both the public and regulatory bodies, the discussion was moderated by RELOP representative, Marino Bulles, who ensured an environment conducive to a productive exchange of ideas.
During the event, key documents in the procurement of energy projects, the principal aspects of the procurement process in Mozambique, as well as an in-depth exploration of independent power producers (IPPs) in Lusophone Africa were discussed. In addition, ALSF’s Mariam Masini shared her valuable experience in providing legal support for energy project contracting and pointed out that this support can also be delivered by IPPs to national governments through ALSF.
This thought-provoking meeting broadened the discussion on ALSF’s crucial role in Lusophone Africa and the challenges faced in this type of contracting. Participants were able to gain practical insight on the topic by analysing it from a legal point of view.
Recognizing the need and value for this type of knowledge exchange between Portuguese speakers, the webinar series will take place exclusively in Portuguese, and promise to be enriching for both public and private entities. These encounters will serve as an opportunity to deepen knowledge both in the legal sphere and in the energy sector in Lusophone Africa, opening up new perspectives for all those involved.
RELOP was present at the 8th edition of the World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER), which took place between 22 and 25 August in Lima, Peru. The Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) took part in several panels on renewable energy, the role of regulators in the energy transition process, energy access, and consumer energy empowerment.
The Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) took part in the panel on the independence of the regulator and energy planning, and one of its representatives was awarded the ICER prize. The National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency also took part in the debate on regulatory reforms.
The WFER, held within the framework of ICER – the International Confederation of Energy Regulators, is the main international event on energy regulation. This meeting brings together key players and representatives from more than 40 countries on five continents in the energy industry, including high-level decision-makers, academics, and more than 200 regulators from all over the world, with the aim of debating energy strategies in various regulatory systems.
RELOP is honoured to announce the winner of the 2022 Maria Cristina Portugal Award.
The panel of judges has also chosen to grant two honourable mentions to entries that have earned recognition for their valuable contributions to the discourse on energy transition in developing nations.
The RELOP Board received and validated a total of 10 applications, all meeting the eligibility criteria for competition entry. These submissions were thoroughly reviewed by the competition jury, composed of the following individuals appointed by the RELOP board:
Professor Vítor Santos, Full Professor at the Lisbon School of Economics and Management at the University of Lisbon (ISEG);
Professor António Chivanga Barros, Full Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Technologies and Sciences (ISPTEC);
Dr. Renato Lima, Consultant at the State Business Sector Monitoring Unit (UASE) and Advisor for Regulation at the Cape Verde Ministry of Finance.
RELOP is pleased to announce that the recipient of the Maria Cristina Portugal Prize 2022 is:
Márcio Roselli from Brazil’s National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) for his outstanding work entitled, “Economic Evaluation of the Energy Transition in Electricity Distribution Systems.”
Roselli’s article undertakes a scenario analysis of the energy transition’s impact on the operational and expansion costs of electricity distribution networks within the 2030 timeframe. The study presents an innovative model founded on dynamic tariffs, offering a novel perspective for the regulation of distributions networks.
Additionally, RELOP extends a congratulations to the two honourable mention recipients:
Mário Fernandes Alfredo from Angola´s National Oil, Gas, and Biofuels Agency, for his piece entitled, “Angola, Guidelines for the Energy Transition.”
The work provides a comprehensive overview of identifying opportunities and establishing guidelines for Angola’s energy transition. The article recommends maximizing the identified opportunities through investments in infrastructures for renewable energy exploration, production, and storage, advocating for a gradual shift away from fossil fuels.
– Vita Mateso, also from Angola’s National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency, for his contribution entitled, “Energy Transition: Challenges and Opportunities for Angola.”
This article examines the energy transition in Angola, outlining both the challenges and opportunities within the context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The piece underscores the significance of fossil fuels in the country’s economy while emphasizing the need to accelerate the energy transition in parallel with industrial sector development, particularly in the realm of biofuels.
Between 2 and 5 May 2023, an intensive training session on the theme “Indicators of quality of service and economic and financial performance of regulated companies” was held at ERSE – Energy Services Regulatory Authority, which brought together regulators from five countries in Lisbon, Portugal.
The intensive training session was attended by 19 participants from four RELOP regulators from Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde and Mozambique and by experts from several areas of ERSE activity.
Different regulatory themes were addressed, such as economic and financial performance indicators, technical service quality, commercial service quality, management tools and internal planning, regulatory powers and support to consumers.
The training developed involved various ERSE organic units committed to the cooperation and sharing of knowledge among the participants.
On 13 March 2023, took place the RELOP XVII General Assembly, in virtual format with the presence of 11 of the 12 members of the Association.
At the meeting, the members unanimously approved the 2022 Activities and Accounts Report and were introduced and discussed initiatives to strengthen institutional inter-regulator partnerships, including the creation of a new intranet working area exclusive to members.
The meeting, chaired by the President of the General Assembly, Symone Araújo of the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels of Brazil – ANP, included a presentation by Carlos Ramos of the Multisectoral Economic Regulatory Agency – ARME about the next Annual Conference and General Assembly of RELOP, which will be hosted by Cape Verde.
Members iterated on the will to cooperate and share knowledge and experiences, in various areas of action, reinforcing the Association’s capacity for international projection.
The 2022 Activity and Accounts Report is available for consultation in “Institutional Documents”.
For RELOP, 2022 was a year of positioning and achievement of an ambitious strategic agenda.
The year 2022 was marked by the affirmation of its relevance as an organization focused on the promotion of professional training and knowledge sharing among experts and professionals of its Member Entities, but also for the general public.
Highlights of the year included the election of the new corporate bodies of RELOP for the 2022-2023 biennium, the 13th Annual Conference of RELOP, under the theme “Resilience and Energy Transition”, the launch of the Maria Cristina Portugal Award, the General Meetings, the Peer Training, the Technical Training on Regulation and the creation of the Communication Working Group.
In 2022, RELOP reinforced its relevance as an agent of change, addressing issues of sustainability, resilience, energy transition and strengthening its international presence.
The Activities and Budget Plan for 2023, discussed and approved at the XVI General Assembly of RELOP, is now available for consultation.
The Activity and Budget Plan works as a strategic instrument of action and in it are detailed the activities to be developed during the year, the objectives to be achieved and the resources needed for their realization.
In the pursuit of its mission and in the exercise of its powers, RELOP makes available the Activity Plan for 2023.
RELOP announces the opening of applications for the Maria Cristina Portugal 2022 Award, which aims to distinguish the best technical article on the theme “Energy Transition”.
This is the second edition of the “Technical Regulation Awards” renamed “Maria Cristina Portugal Award”, in honour of the former executive director of RELOP, the driving force behind this project, who passed away in 2021.
This Award aims to recognise the excellence of the regulatory staff of the RELOP member entities and to promote knowledge sharing.
The competition is composed of an international jury, representing three continents, and for which each of the RELOP Board members nominated a personality:
– Professor António Chivanga Barros, Professor at the Department of Engineering and Technology of the Polytechnic Institute of Technology and Science (ISPTEC)
– Professor Renato Lima, Consultant of the Monitoring Unit of the State Enterprise Sector (UASE) and Advisor for regulation of the Ministry of Finance
– Professor Vítor Santos, Permanent Professor at the Institute of Economics and Management of the University of Lisbon (ISEG)
In addition to a certificate and publication of the article on the RELOP website, the winner will receive an invitation to present the article at an international event under the sponsorship of the Association.
The deadline for submissions is open until 21 March 2023.
To be considered for the competition, the articles must have as author or co-author an employee of a RELOP member entity.
Maria Cristina Portugal, a lawyer by education, held prominent positions in the energy sector in recent years. She passed away on 8 September 2021.
Maria Cristina was President of the Board of Directors of the Energy Services Regulatory Authority – ERSE, since 2017, where she also held positions as Member of the Board of Directors of ERSE and President of the Tariff Board for 15 years.
Before joining ERSE, Maria Cristina was Vice-President of the Consumer Institute and held the position of Member of the European Commission’s network of experts for a Common Frame of Reference on European Contract Law, where she previously represented the position of technical advisor and Member for the Reform of Consumer Law and the Consumer Code; before that she was a member of the Lisbon District Council of the Bar Association.
Quote: “Her contribution to the development of the Portuguese energy sector was decisive, as was her role in stabilising the regulatory framework that allowed for the major boost of renewable energies” – João Pedro Matos Fernandes (former Portuguese Minister for the Environment and Climate Action).
