Clean Energy –

the energy transition.

Clean Energy –

Regulatory Energy Transition Accelerator

About RETA.

The accelerator is an initiative to enhance the capacity of regulators to increase the speed of the clean energy transitions.

It works directly with energy regulators in order to facilitate knowledge sharing, peer to peer learning and thought leadership on regulatory issues. It acts as well as a central resource for regulators to seek knowledge products and regulatory tools that can help mitigate challenges regulators face when trying to regulate for the sustainable, affordable and secure energy systems of the future.
The Accelerator was launched at COP26 by Ofgem, IEA, IRENA, RMI and the World Bank along with regulators from around the world as part of the Green Grids Initiative.

What we do?

Areas of work.

The Accelerator is intended to enhance the capacity of energy regulators to contribute to decarbonisation of energy systems effectively, swiftly, and fairly through enhancing exchanges and communicating best practices in the following areas.

Network Planning
for wide scale electrification

Meeting the technical challenges of
expanding power systems.

Flexible, renewable-based systems

Managing increasing levels of variable renewables.

Regional
interconnection

Making best use of regional resources.

Regulatory frameworks
to deliver the energy transition

Creating fair and regulatory structures.

Fair and inclusive energy
transition

Ensuring that equity is at the heart of energy transitions.

Participants.

Regulators

Argentina

ADERE, Argentinian Association of Regulatory Entities for Electricity

Australia

Australian Energy Regulator

Australia (Western)

Economic Regulation Authority

Austria

E-Control

Azerbaijan

AERA, Azerbaijan Energy Regulatory Agency

Canada (British Columbia)

British Columbia Utilities Commission

Canada (Ontario)

Ontario Energy Board

Canada (Québec)

Régie de l’énergie du Québec

Cayman Islands

OfReg, Utility Regulation and Competition Office

Chile

CNE, National Commission of Energy

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Autorité de Régulation du secteur de l’Electricité

Dominica

Independent Regulatory Commission

Egypt

EgyptERA, Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency

Egypt

GasReg, Gas Regulatory Authority of Egypt

France

CRE, Energy Regulatory Commission

Georgia

GNERC, Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission

Great Britain

Ofgem

Grenada

Public Utilities Regulatory Commission

Indonesia

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

Israel

Israeli Electricity Authority

Italy

ARERA, Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment

Japan

Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission

Kenya

Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority

Mongolia

Energy Regulatory Commission

Morocco

ANRE, National Electricity Regulatory Authority

New Zealand

Commerce Commission

New Zealand

Electricity Authority

North Macedonia

Energy Regulatory Commission of the Republic of North Macedonia

Norway

NVE-RME, Energy Regulatory Authority

Peru

Osinergmin, Regulatory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining

Romania

Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority

Rwanda

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority 

Saint Lucia

National Utilities Regulatory Commission

Sierra Leone

Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission

Singapore

Energy Market Authority

Turks and Caicos Islands

Energy and Utilities Department (EUD)

USA (Federal)

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Commissioner Allison Clements Office

USA (California)

Energy Commission

USA (California)

Public Utilities Commission

USA (Hawaii)

Public Utilities Commission

USA (Washington)

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

Vanuatu

Utility Regulatory Authority

Regulatory networks

AFUR

African Forum For Utility Regulators

CAMPUT

Canadian Association of Members of Public Utility Tribunals

ERRA

Energy Regulators Regional Association

ICER

International Confederation of Energy Regulators 

NARUC

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

Partners.

Latest news

Highlights.

14 September 2023

Third RETA workshop on digitalization

On 14 September 2023, the third and final online RETA workshop in the series on digitalization took place, facilitated by the International Energy Agency and Energy Innovation. 32 participants joined from all over the world.

The workshop featured some high-level speakers focusing on technical solutions, including Audrey Zibelman and speakers from Energy Web, the Californian PUC and the regulator and independent system operator in Chile.  The need to build global standards for the digitalization of energy systems, and to get it right the first time round, was underlined. Specific examples of dynamic pricing, models for digital hubs and the use of blockchain were explored.

Following the presentations, the participants were divided into breakout rooms to engage in deeper discussions on the three case studies presented from Australia, California and Chile. Regulators can access materials from the workshop here.

 

September 2023

Third RETA workshop for SIDS

On 6/7 September the third workshop for regulators from Small Island Developing States took place as part of RETA’s flagship project.

The session was the first of two workshops making up the module on resilient energy access. It was facilitated by the Global Green Growth Institute and featured a well-received presentation from IRENA. 13 regulators from the Pacific and Caribbean participated. Stayed tuned for updates on the date for the next workshop.

 

23 August 2023

WFER panel on decarbonization

On August 23, RETA moderated a panel with RETA participants and delivery partners during the 8th World Forum on Energy Regulation in Lima, Peru. The panel focused on decarbonisation in energy regulator’s decision making. Representatives from Ofgem, NURC, RAP, and the IEA, participated in the debate moderated by the RETA coordinator.

 

August 2023

Fourth RETA Steering Committee meeting

On 22 August 2023, the fourth RETA Steering Committee meeting was held in Lima.

During the meeting, the SC engaged in discussions regarding the progress made on the five flagship projects. Particular attention was given to the development of the Knowledge Hub, and a desire for regulators to be part of the testing process. The SC members emphasised the significance of workshops in facilitating meaningful dialogues that allow for the exchange of various regulatory perspectives.

The meeting also delved into deliberations concerning upcoming areas of priority. Looking ahead, the next meeting is scheduled for early 2024, which will mark the conclusion of the current SC’s two-year term.

 

June 2023

Second workshop on digitalization

On 28 June 2023, the second online RETA workshop on digitalization was organized, facilitated by RMI and Energy Innovation, attracting the participation of 20 regulators.

During the workshop, the French energy regulator, the Australian energy regulator, and the Indian-based Council on Environment, Energy and Water presented case studies highlighting the advantages of digitalization in the energy system.

Following the presentations, the participants were divided into breakout rooms to engage in deeper discussions on the three topics presented: demand-side flexibility, the integration challenges of consumer energy sources, and advanced metering infrastructure.

April 2023

GET.Transform becomes RETA delivery partner

 

RETA looks forward to collaborating with GET.transform in assisting developing and emerging countries worldwide in advancing their energy sector transformations. GET.transform is part of a European multi-donor platform delivering on international energy and climate goals, and draws on the experience of a former EU programme which provided energy policy advisory for 13 years in more than 35 countries.

 

The work started in April, stay tuned for more updates soon.

June 1-2, 2023

Workshop on Deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

 

On the 1/2 of June, the second workshop on Deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in Small Island Developing States was held remotely with 46 participants, including regulators from Pacific and Caribbean islands, and facilitators from RMI, RETA, UN ESCAP, and other partners including GGGI, IRENA and World Bank.

 

The workshop focused on three topics: examining various tariff design options and associated regulatory reforms to accelerate deployment of DERs, sharing participants’ experiences in implementing regulatory solutions for supporting DER adoption, and engaging in collaborative problem-solving to address challenges faced by regulators in advancing the DER agenda.

 

More information on some of the best practices identified will follow, as well as future workshops for small island regulators on other topics.

May 22-26, 2023

Energy transition training in Budapest

RETA was proud to collaborate with the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) to organise their first training session for energy regulators focusing on the energy transition. The training took place over the course of a week in Budapest and online, with lively discussions and expert presentations. RETA delivery partners IEA, IRENA and the Regulatory Assistance Project contributed to the teaching, and regulators from Austria, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Latvia, North Macedonia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and West Africa participated.

 

We hope to make a small selection of the presentations available to all RETA participants in the future knowledge hub. Energy regulators have to be equipped to deal with and accelerate the energy transition, and this training was an important step in achieving that.

May 2023

RETA at Canada’s CAMPUT Conference.

The association of Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial energy and utility regulators met in Toronto for their annual conference from the 7 to 10 May 2023.

The discussions were all around “New Regulatory Pathways for a Just Energy Transition”, and the RETA Administrator, as well as a fellow RETA regulator E-Control from Austria, were delighted to be part of the conversation. Whether and how decarbonisation is part of energy regulators mandates, and how Canada can become better interconnected between the provinces and territories were big topics of discussion, both key elements of RETA’s flagship projects.

More information on CAMPUT’s conference can be found here.

March 2023

RETA third Steering Committee meeting.

The third meeting of the RETA Steering Committee was held virtually on the 21 March 2023, with a focus on the delivery of RETA’s five flagship projects.

The Steering Committee approved RETA’s 2023 Workplan and a number of new partnerships which will ensure that RETA is able to provide more technical assistance and relevant projects to regulators.

The Steering Committee also agreed to hold their next meeting in person at the World Forum on Energy Regulation in Peru, now taking place in August.

March 2023

MECS becomes RETA delivery partner

RETA is delighted to welcome Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) as a new delivery partner.

Worldwide, nearly three billion people rely on traditional solid fuels, such as wood or coal, for cooking and heating. This has severe implications for health, gender relations, economic livelihoods, environmental quality and global and local climates. RETA is excited to partner with MECS to support regulators trying to encourage the move to electric cooking and reduce these dangerous emissions.

The work started in February with a meeting with African regulators, stay tuned for more updates soon.

 

February 2023

Meeting with African regulators on electric cooking

RETA facilitated the participation of African energy regulators at a meeting held in South Africa by the Climate Parliament and Modern Energy Cooking Services in February.

The meeting focused on the transition from polluting cooking fuels to electricity. Regulators from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Nigeria attended, as well as secretariat members from RETA and the African Forum of Utility Regulators.

The issue was identified as a pressing issue for many African regulators, with interesting examples being shared between regulators, and RETA will work further on electric cooking.

 

November 4, 2022

ICER Virtual Working Group

RETA held its second dissemination workshop on 4 November, in partnership with the International Confederation of Energy Regulators. The International Energy Agency presented its energy efficiency report, and the Regulatory Assistance Project presented its Blueprint project.

These sessions are open to all regulators, to sign up to RETA and receive information on future events, please contact us at admin@retatheaccelerator.org.

 

November 2, 2022

Eastern Caribbean peer to peer exchange

The Global Green Growth Institute and the Organisation Eastern Caribbean States organised an interactive session on 2 November for energy regulators to discuss Regulatory Guidelines on Interconnection of Customer-Owned Renewable Energy Facilities to the Grid. This knowledge exchange will help form a basis for RETA’s flagship project on Small Island Developing States.

November 3, 2021

RETA launch at the COP26.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Ofgem and World Bank launched at the COP26 a global initiative “Regulatory Energy Transition Accelerator” to accelerate the energy transition to provide clean, secure, and affordable supplies to everyone. Energy regulators have a key role to play in turning ambition into real-world action in hitting global climate goals. The Regulatory Accelerator enables them to collaborate to seize opportunities and solve problems to speed up the global energy transition at the lowest cost.

In particular, it can help countries with less developed energy systems to leapfrog the carbon-intensive paths other countries have previously taken.

The joint statement launched at COP26 can be found here.

Upcoming events.

Date: 21-25 August, 2023

The World Forum on Energy Regulation

The World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER) is the leading international conference on energy regulation and is held every three years. It brings together key players in the energy industry, high-level decision-makers, academics, and regulators from around the world to engage in strategic energy discussions on different regulatory schemes. The Forum is held within the framework of the International Confederation of Energy Regulators (ICER), a voluntary framework for cooperation among energy regulators, which aims to help improve the design and implementation of public policies in the energy sector by exchanging information and best practices.

This year’s edition, held in Peru and hosted by Osinergmin, will include a session organised by RETA. Further details will follow shortly.

Date: 22-26 May, 2023

Energy Transition training from ERRA 

ERRA – in collaboration with RETA – prepares the first energy transition training to assist regulators in the transformation of the sector, covering all key topics of adapting regulatory practice to the new context of transitioning energy system.
The program will be implemented in hybrid setting in order to facilitate both classroom and remote participation. Speakers from IEA, OFGEM and RAP join the program and deliver top-notch technical presentations.