Today many of the world’s largest electric grids are facing new challenges in sustaining the levels of reliability that made electrification indispensable. In addition to those physical challenges of reliability have been challenges of imagination and policy. In the past, reliability often turned on the question of what happened if a key power plant or power line unexpectedly failed. The rapidly increasing share of power supply from sources such as wind and solar plants, and the build-out of interconnections between different grid regions, countries, or even continents using high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables introduce new reliability considerations related to weather conditions and faults in control software that need our careful attention.

Grid systems that move away from power plants with synchronous spinning turbines need a strategy for addressing the loss of inertia. Better situational awareness can help, as can incentives to encourage the retention and production of inertia. This OIES paper looks at British and Nordic experiences and responses, and outlines what to watch for - so that the coming century, like the last one, is marked by a central role for reliable electric supply.

By 2030, electricity demand from data centers worldwide will more than double, reaching around 945 TWh, slightly more than Japan's entire electricity consumption, and AI will be the most significant driver of this increase, with electricity demand from data centers optimized for artificial intelligence expected to more than quadruple by 2030.

Data center energy growth will account for less than 10% of global demand growth, but in some regions it will account for more: in the United States, for example, it will account for nearly half of growth and in Japan, more than half.

Driven by the use of artificial intelligence, the U.S. economy is set to consume more electricity in 2030 for data processing than for the production of all energy-intensive goods, including aluminum, steel, cement and chemicals, the report says.

In broader advanced economies, data centers are expected to drive more than 20% of electricity demand growth through 2030, returning those economies’ electricity demand to growth after years of stagnation or decline in consumption in many of them, the report says.

IEA analysis of existing and proposed data centers shows that they are growing larger and tending to cluster, often around cities.

Finally, the report also contains estimates on the global demand for critical minerals for data centers, on which supply chains are highly concentrated, the agency's director Fatih Birol points out, with reference to the strong position of Asia and in particular of China in these supply chains.

The principle of cost-reflective network charges has been part of EU law since 2019, though it has not been fully addressed until recent EU initiatives, including the Clean Industrial Deal and the Affordable Energy Action Plan. These efforts aim to reform tariff methodologies to incentivise flexibility and investments in electrification, with the potential for binding legislation by mid-2025. To contribute to this effort, smartEn, in collaboration with FTI Consulting, has developed a comprehensive study offering actionable solutions to one of the European Commission’s key energy priorities. The report outlines a set of actionable proposals outlining different tariff designs aimed at implementing the cost-reflective principle across EU Member States. These designs provide a roadmap to transition towards pricing structures that reward flexible energy use and prevent unnecessary grid expansion.

This ACER Monitoring Report on key developments in EU energy markets highlights major trends in 2024, focusing on the interaction between gas and electricity. It sets out ACER’s recommendations on how Europe can unlock a clean, secure and competitive energy future. The report highlights progress towards Europe’s transition to clean energy, persistent challenges such as high and volatile energy prices for European consumers and businesses and how to address them.

• 2024 recorded the lowest energy prices since 2021, but with noticeable regional and seasonal differences. 
• Energy market prices remained volatile (but less extreme than during the crisis), driven by gas supply risks and renewables’ variability. 
• Renewables grew significantly, accounting for 35% of power generation. 
• Europe’s clean energy transition faces persistent challenges. By late 2024, adverse weather conditions and a deteriorating gas supply outlook exposed persistent market vulnerabilities.
• Gas as a flexibility provider: Fossil fuels, particularly gas and coal, remain essential to mitigate peak electricity demand as coal generation capacity declines and alternative solutions lag.

•  Definition & Role of Aggregators
• Key Activities
• Licensing Framework
• Technical & Operational Requirements
• Balancing Regions & Portfolio Limits

As a product of its Nuclear Energy Regulatory Forum (NERF), ERRA is pleased to share the report summarizing the takeaways from discussions on Nuclear Power Investment and Costs as well as the National Regulatory Experiences with Regulating Nuclear Power. 

The report discusses the role of nuclear in the energy transition and delves into important topics such as nuclear power investments, energy markets, costs, long-term planning and funding of nuclear projects. In particular, the publication elaborates on:

• Economics of nuclear and the cost of capital;
• Ownership structures and financing models;
• Risks and challenges related to the project lifetime and electricity market price;
• Green financing and the ways of attracting more funding through the private sector.

Finally, the report also showcases the specific cases of nuclear energy deployment and operation based on the national regulatory perspectives and experiences of France, Slovakia, Pakistan, and the U.S. (Georgia).

ERRA gathers regulators from nuclear and nuclear newcomer countries, creating a suitable platform to exchange views and experiences within our organization. That is why the ERRA Presidium decided to launch the first of this kind of conference focusing on the intersection of nuclear energy and energy regulation in a format that gathers international organizations, TSOs, policymakers, and NRAs. The ERRA Nuclear Energy Regulatory Forum (NERF), which was held in Warsaw on June 6-7, 2024, turned out to be a success: gathering experts from 17 countries has been an excellent basis for developing a new block within our activities.

As a product of Warsaw NERF, we want to share the main discussions and findings of the event, hoping to raise a discussion on all regulatory aspects related to nuclear power. The first part of our post-conference materials was prepared by eminent TSO experts who debated nuclear power from the point of view of a smooth-functioning energy system. 

Grid scarcity in countries characterized by a high phase of renewable energy integration is one of the key barriers for their successful energy transition. As the issue becomes more apparent also among ERRA member countries, the Association issues the Study on how grid scarcity is perceived among ERRA regulators and how the issue can be tackled with the right tools. The Study was developed by the Regulatory Assistance Project.

The contents of the report comprise: 

• ERRA survey results for 11 member countries;
• RAP's toolkit on tackling power grid scarcity with 3 time horizons;
• Case studies on: - cable pooling in Poland,  - grid transparency in Belgium, - competitive renewable energy zones in Texas.
• Recommendations for policymakers and regulators

We kindly acknowledge the RAP team developing the report as well as the ERRA member organizations that contributed to the ERRA survey.

This report highlights the transformative potential of hydrogen and the crucial role of GOs in fostering a transparent, credible, and efficient hydrogen market. Hydrogen can significantly contribute to global sustainability and energy security goals through strategic investments and collaborative efforts.

The report identifies four critical attributes of GOs: traceability, ensuring that hydrogen's origin and production details are accurately tracked; tradability, allowing GOs to be bought and sold independently of the physical hydrogen; transparency, providing clear information about hydrogen's environmental credentials; and credibility, maintaining rigorous standards and independent verification.

The report is structured as follows:

• Chapter 1 - Hydrogen: A Visionary Energy Solution for Tomorrow
• Chapter 2 - Production of Hydrogen
• Chapter 3 - "Dirty" vs. "Clean" Hydrogen
• Chapter 4 - The Logistics of Hydrogen
• Chapter 5 - Understanding Certification for Hydrogen
• Chapter 6 - Critical Attributes of Guarantees of Origin

This report would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of the ERRA Gaseous Fuels Markets and Economic Regulation Committee (GF COM) member NRAs.

• Infrastructure and demand characteristics,
• Regulatory framework,
• Incentives to achieve security of supply.

The report is structured as follows:

• Chapter 1 - Pillars of Security of Supply
• Chapter 2 - Challenges Faces by the EU in terms of Security of Supply 
• Chapter 3 - Regulatory Framework for Security of Supply on the EU Level
• Chapter 4 - Sample Cases of Gas Supply Security
• Chapter 5 - Comparative Analysis of Gas Supply Security across Different Countries – Cross-Continental Survey

This benchmarking initiative would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of the participating ERRA Natural Gas Markets and Economic Regulation Committee member NRAs.

This report analyses the energy transition efforts of several developed non-ERRA countries. It extracts key lessons, best practices and innovative approaches for others to follow for a sustainable energy future. The report explores indicators such as renewable energy generation, energy efficiency measures, carbon emissions reduction, and the policy and regulatory frameworks that help successful energy transitions. Through unique examples and comparative analysis, the report aims to provide valuable insights for ERRA members working towards a sustainable energy future.

It delves into the achievements of Sweden, Costa Rica, Brazil, New Zealand and Spain, which have successfully navigated the complexities of energy transition. It highlights their unique approaches and innovative solutions. These best practices can potentially guide ERRA countries in adopting effective strategies for the energy transition. 

The report is structured as follows:

• Chapter 1 presents the methodology for the choice of the countries analysed.
• Chapters 2-6 highlight the evolution of the energy mixes, targets, policies and example projects related to energy transition in each of the five countries.
• The Summary and Recommendations chapters provide key findings from the study.

This report highlights experiences from the recent energy crisis that can serve as a guide for Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) member countries’ preparation for and responses to future crises.

Drawing on examples from a wide range of countries, with different energy markets and systems, the report provides:

• An overview of short-term policy and regulatory measures adopted to address the crisis (mostly to support access to affordable energy) and lessons that emerge from these;
• In the context of evolving energy supply and market paradigms, consideration of longer-term policies and measures, including for electricity market design.

The ERRA Glossary of Energy Transition Terms comprises about 150 practical definitions referring to energy transition and climate change. The resource was compiled by ERRA Energy Transition Task Force. 

ERRA continues to update its concise Glossary of energy sector terms specific to the energy regulatory community. Great stuff for entry level regulators!