Conference Moderator: Mr Kacper Jarosz, Project Manager, ERRA

09:00

OPENING ADDRESS  

• DR MAIA MELIKIDZE, Erra ChairWoman, Commissioner GEORGIAN NATIONAL ENERGY AND WATER SUPPLY REGULATORY COMMISSION
• MR PAWEL HERCZYNSKI, AMBASSADOR OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO GEORGIA

09:15 

RENEWABLES INVESTMENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS

• DR KONSTANTIN PETROV, MANAGING CONSULTANT, DNV ENERGY SYSTEMS, GERMANY
• Q&A

The global energy crisis has not only disrupted demand and supply patterns but has made renewables investment decisions even more difficult. It threatens to derail efforts related to climate change mitigation by governments, policy makers, regulators, companies and eventually by the investors. The presentation aims to present the direct and indirect consequences of the global energy crisis on renewables investments and the likely solutions.

09:40 

45% RENEWABLES BY 2030? THE EU LATEST INVESTMENT CHALLENGES FOR Distribution System Operators

• MR RÉMY GARAUDE-VERDIER, EUROPEAN AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, ENEDIS FRANCE
• Q&A

Reliable policies are crucial to foster investments in the renewables sector keeping capital costs low. The presentation shall take stock of the expected reliable regulatory framework needed to facilitate the uptake of renewables investments in developing countries and to offer investor confidence.

10:05 

MASDAR’S CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING POTENTIAL RENEWABLES PROJECTS

• MR MOHAMMAD SHAHROUR, SENIOR ANALYST, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MASDAR, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• Q&A

Masdar Clean Energy is a leading developer and operator of utility-scale renewable energy projects around the world, with more than 15 years of renewable energy project development, construction and operation experience and a global portfolio of more than 14 GW gross renewable energy capacity. The presentation will kick off with an introduction to Masdar, covering Masdar’s vision, history, value proposition and global footprint. The session will then focus on key criteria which Masdar uses to evaluate the viability of a renewable energy project, including typical commercial structures, bankability considerations (i.e., the ability to secure long-term, non-recourse project financing), technical studies, and environmental and social factors.

10:30

Coffee break

11:00

MODERATED ROUNDTABLE: POTENTIAL RENEWABLE INVESTMENT PROJECTS - REGULATORY COUNTRY CASE STUDIES:

MODERATOR:
MR DIETMAR PREINSTORFER, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, E-CONTROL, AUSTRIA

• ARMENIA – MR DAVIT MURADYAN, HEAD, DEVELOPMENTS PROGRAMMES DIVISION, PUBLIC SERVICES REGULATORY COMMISSION
• AZERBAIJAN – MS RANA HUMBATOVA, HEAD, HYDROGEN AND GREEN TECHNOLOGIES DEPARTMENT, AZERBAIJAN RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY
• GEORGIA - MR LEONIDAS KANTOS, PRESIDENT, FOUNDER, AIR-SUN COMPANY+
• MOLDOVA - MR ANDREI SULA, HEAD OF ELECTRICITY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY DEPARTMENT, NATIONAL AGENCY FOR ENERGY REGULATION
• Q&A

Regulators and other representatives of the sector from the Eastern Partnership countries are invited to present potential renewable energy investment projects, where they are looking for investors or co-investors.

12:10

IMPORTANCE OF DIGITALISATION IN THE GREEN TRANSITION PROCESS

• MR GIUSEPPE DELL’OLIO, ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXPERT, GSE, ITALY
• Q&A

The presentation gives a brief overview on the importance that EU attributes to digitalisation with the examples of the European Framework supporting digitization. Moreover, it will review the role of digitalization in energy sector investment including discussion about EU’s adoption of the criteria to make digitalisation green and sustainable. The practical case of Italy will illustrate how EU legislation has been adopted.

12:30

LUNCH BREAK - RESTAURANT “FEAST” (SHERATON)

14:00

LESSONS LEARNED FROM GOVERNMENT RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICIES: THE AUDITORS’ PERSPECTIVE

• RESULT FROM AUDIT ON GREEN ENERGY SUPPORT POLICY AND THE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE MECHANISM PLAN IN LATVIA.
  DR ROLANDS IRKLIS, AUDITOR GENERAL, STATE AUDIT OFFICE OF LATVIA
• ADVANCING RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND REDUCING THE DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS
  MR DAVID BAR, SENIOR DEPARTMENT MANAGER, OFFICE OF STATE CONTROLLER, ISRAEL
• HOW TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE EU’S EXTERNAL AUDITOR
  DR KATHARINA BRYAN, EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS
• Q&A

Governments employ a variety of support policies to stimulate growth in the use of renewable energy. These include feed-in-tariffs, tax incentives, tradable green certificates, direct financial support, investments in projects and in research and development. Supreme Audit institutions, as critical public auditors, evaluate how governments deal with energy issues, facilitating spending money effectively and efficiently, and doing so in an accountable manner. Experts will present, through case studies focussed on audits conducted by EUROSAI members, results of the analysis made on the effectiveness and productivity of government policies on renewables. The results of the audits conducted by EUROSAI member supreme audit institutions provide recommendations to governments on improving their performance in energy policy implementation. This experience could provide crucial information to policymakers, regulators and financiers assembled at the Conference in order to improve the effectiveness and efficacy of how countries plan and implement investments in renewable energy.

14:50

ACTIVE CONSUMERS FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CONSUMER-CENTRIC ENERGY MARKET

• MR IVAN FAUCHEUX, COMMISSIONER, ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, FRANCE
• DR HARALD PROIDL, DIRECTOR FOR RENEWABLES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY, E-CONTROL, AUSTRIA

Citizen-centric energy actions are at the core of the clean energy transition. By creating energy communities, the citizens take initiative into their hands and are held responsible for their energy choices. By supporting citizen participation, energy communities can help provide flexibility to the electricity system through demand-response. Moreover, the energy communities influence public perception and acceptance of renewable energy projects and make it easier to attract private investments in the clean energy transition.

POLICIES AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY MINI-GRIDS

• MR ARDIAN BERISHA, REGULATORY SPECIALIST, ERRA
• Q&A

Renewable Mini-Grids will play a critical role in increasing access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in remote areas where the main grid is unlikely to arrive. Until recently the financial challenge of developing mini-grids on a large scale was immense. However, the reduced cost of solar power, coupled with more experienced developers operating in the mini-grid market, opens up new opportunities to increase access to electricity through private sector participation. A clear, stable and predictable regulatory framework is key. This presentation will discuss regulatory considerations toward mini-grid regulation and review examples of light-handed approaches which cater to the specifics of mini-grids.

15:35

 19:30

wrap-up & Closing

DINNER RECEPTION HOSTED BY ERRA AT RESTAURANT ATI (SHERATON)