Press Release (PR-18-02)

 

Energy regulators launch their 3D Strategy and Smart Technology report

 

•    Digitalisation: Drive forward a new deal for consumers in a digital world
•    Decarbonisation at least cost
•    Dynamic regulation: European solutions for adaptive regulation in a fast-changing world

Today at the 2018 annual conference of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER)1, European energy regulators launched for public consultation their proposed 3-year, 3D strategy from 2019 to 2021, focused on Digitalisation, Decarbonisation and Dynamic Regulation.

CEER also published a Smart Technology Development report2 which links with the Digitalisation and Dynamic Regulation objectives of our 3D strategy. This report identifies the impact of new technologies (including the Internet of Things and blockchain) on energy consumers and on regulation.

CEER President, Garrett Blaney, explained regulators’ proposed 3D strategy:

While energy regulators are not the origin of digitalisation technologies and decarbonisation policies, we should be enablers. Regulation must be stable, but not static, and energy regulators must facilitate positive change. Hence, our 3D strategy focuses on digitalisation, decarbonisation at least cost, and dynamic regulation”.

Digitalisation: Drive forward a new deal for consumers in a digital world
CEER’s strategic objective on Digitalisation is to:
•    Foster competitive European markets that protect and empower consumers;
•    Enable cost-savings for consumers using digitalisation with a whole energy system approach;
•    Ensure an agile regulatory framework enables innovation while ensuring a level playing field;
•    Strengthen cooperation among sectoral regulators, consumer protection authorities, etc. to ensure consumers are protected as traditional energy markets are reinvented.

Decarbonisation at least cost
Energy decarbonisation must be achieved at least cost to consumers. This can be done by:
•    Developing an energy market design that minimises the need for subsidy mechanisms3;
•    Minimising the whole energy system cost of decarbonisation, in both the gas and electricity sectors, while maintaining a high level of security of supply.

Dynamic regulation: European solutions for adaptive regulation in a fast-changing world
CEER is determined to make regulation agile and coherent in responding to digitalisation and decarbonisation, where European energy consumers’ interests are forefront in our approach.

What’s next?

CEER’s 3D strategy will be implemented though its annual work programme. CEER will, in the coming weeks, publish a report on Tendering Systems for Renewables and another on Flexibility. These reports are examples of how CEER delivers on the Decarbonisation and Digitalisation agenda. The main findings of the CEER report on RES tendering will be presented at a joint CEER-EBRD Sustainable Energy Week event (07 June) on renewable energy financing and support.

CEER welcomes comments, by 10 August, on its public consultation on the CEER 3D strategy and how the proposed 2019 Work Programme deliverables help deliver the 3D strategy.

Brussels, 05 June 2018

Ends - see Notes for Editors

Contact:

una.shortall@ceer.eu

Tel: +32 2 788 73 31