Latest news with #ERRA
Zawya
13-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Austria's regulator calls for ‘greater market responsibility' as PV boom reshapes energy systems
MUSCAT: Austria's top energy regulator has warned that the surge in solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, while vital to the energy transition, is straining electricity markets and grid infrastructure — calling for urgent reforms to ensure producers assume greater market responsibility. Speaking at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA), held in Muscat, Harald Proidl, Director of Renewables and Energy Efficiency at Austria's E-Control, said the country's PV boom has reshaped both generation capacity and regulatory oversight. 'In Austria, PV is no longer a marginal player — it accounts for around 25% of total installed capacity,' Proidl told the gathering of regulators and policy experts. 'But this growth has come with challenges: oversupply, negative pricing and grid instability.' Between 2020 and 2024, Austria tripled its PV installations from 150,000 to 500,000 systems, raising installed capacity from 2 GW to 8.4 GW. This was spurred by billions of euros in public subsidies, rising energy prices and concerns over energy security. But Proidl warned that while subsidies have helped scale deployment, many PV owners do not face balancing obligations. 'They can export excess energy to the grid without taking on system responsibility,' he said. 'This is not sustainable.' Austria recently raised network tariffs by 25% — partly due to PV-related costs — and is expanding energy-sharing models to decentralise consumption. 'We now have over 1,650 energy communities with 30,000 participants. We expect that to double by 2025,' Proidl noted. Despite these innovations, only 30% of PV power is self-consumed in Austria. The rest is injected into the grid, often creating localised oversupply and price volatility. 'Ideally, 100% of PV electricity should be used where it is produced,' he added. E-Control is urging policy shifts to reduce reliance on grid exports, expand incentives for local use; and apply smarter pricing and digital tools. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Observer
12-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Austria's regulator calls for ‘greater market responsibility' as PV boom reshapes energy systems
MUSCAT: Austria's top energy regulator has warned that the surge in solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, while vital to the energy transition, is straining electricity markets and grid infrastructure — calling for urgent reforms to ensure producers assume greater market responsibility. Speaking at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA), held in Muscat, Harald Proidl, Director of Renewables and Energy Efficiency at Austria's E-Control, said the country's PV boom has reshaped both generation capacity and regulatory oversight. 'In Austria, PV is no longer a marginal player — it accounts for around 25% of total installed capacity,' Proidl told the gathering of regulators and policy experts. 'But this growth has come with challenges: oversupply, negative pricing and grid instability.' Between 2020 and 2024, Austria tripled its PV installations from 150,000 to 500,000 systems, raising installed capacity from 2 GW to 8.4 GW. This was spurred by billions of euros in public subsidies, rising energy prices and concerns over energy security. But Proidl warned that while subsidies have helped scale deployment, many PV owners do not face balancing obligations. 'They can export excess energy to the grid without taking on system responsibility,' he said. 'This is not sustainable.' Austria recently raised network tariffs by 25% — partly due to PV-related costs — and is expanding energy-sharing models to decentralise consumption. 'We now have over 1,650 energy communities with 30,000 participants. We expect that to double by 2025,' Proidl noted. Despite these innovations, only 30% of PV power is self-consumed in Austria. The rest is injected into the grid, often creating localised oversupply and price volatility. 'Ideally, 100% of PV electricity should be used where it is produced,' he added. E-Control is urging policy shifts to reduce reliance on grid exports, expand incentives for local use; and apply smarter pricing and digital tools.
Zawya
12-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Abrupt solar subsidy changes can destabilise power markets
MUSCAT: France's energy regulator has urged governments to avoid abrupt changes to renewable energy support schemes, warning that even the announcement of reform plans can undermine investor trust and create long-term uncertainty in the power sector. Speaking at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) held in Muscat last week, Ivan Faucheux, Commissioner at the French Energy Regulatory Commission, said that altering support contracts without careful system-level consideration can destabilise power markets. 'When you say, 'I will change the contract,' that alone sends a negative signal,' Faucheux said during a session on solar capture rates and support mechanisms. 'There is a risk of mistrust towards public support — which is intended to be long-term and stable.' He noted that France's own energy market had revealed inefficiencies in previous subsidy schemes. While some of the corrections benefited producers, Faucheux stressed that greater emphasis should now be placed on encouraging renewables to respond to real-time grid demands, especially through participation in balancing markets and ancillary services. 'The key is to expose renewable energy facilities to system constraints,' he explained. 'If a producer can adapt and shift surplus electricity to the balancing market — instead of relying only on the day-ahead market — that can generate added value for the system.' However, he warned of the consequences of long-term negative electricity prices, which are becoming more common in countries with high renewable penetration. 'Developers are very aware that prolonged periods of negative pricing reduce the capacity to capture market value,' he said. 'This makes it harder to finance new projects.' Faucheux also pointed to a broader technical concern: increasing system instability due to limited storage and the need for real-time balancing. 'We've used much of our available storage. The system now requires continuous adjustments between production and demand, which creates a highly complex and volatile market,' he said. He explained that abnormal pricing is not necessarily a market flaw. 'Markets reflect economic value. When we see very low or negative prices, it's not a failure of the market's design — it's a reflection of how actors behave and whether incentives are aligned,' he said. Rather than launching entirely new frameworks, Faucheux advocated for modifying earlier contracts that distort market dynamics. 'Often, the same developers who built projects five years ago are now planning new ones,' he said. 'Fixing past contracts — even with limited gains — helps maintain investor confidence.' Faucheux noted that the policy approach should be tailored to each country's specific electricity system. 'There's no single solution,' he said. 'Sweden, with its hydropower-based system, faces different challenges from France, which relies on nuclear and gas. Solar and wind also behave differently — wind has inertia, while solar is more variable.' He concluded with a call for practical dialogue and contextual understanding: 'It's not about copying someone else's policy. It's about understanding your own system and deciding whether a solution that worked elsewhere fits your problem. We may face different challenges, but the technical foundation of our systems is the same.' 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Observer
10-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Abrupt solar subsidy changes can destabilise power markets
MUSCAT, MAY 10 France's energy regulator has urged governments to avoid abrupt changes to renewable energy support schemes, warning that even the announcement of reform plans can undermine investor trust and create long-term uncertainty in the power sector. Speaking at the 22nd Annual Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) held in Muscat last week, Ivan Faucheux, Commissioner at the French Energy Regulatory Commission, said that altering support contracts without careful system-level consideration can destabilise power markets. 'When you say, 'I will change the contract,' that alone sends a negative signal,' Faucheux said during a session on solar capture rates and support mechanisms. 'There is a risk of mistrust towards public support — which is intended to be long-term and stable.' He noted that France's own energy market had revealed inefficiencies in previous subsidy schemes. While some of the corrections benefited producers, Faucheux stressed that greater emphasis should now be placed on encouraging renewables to respond to real-time grid demands, especially through participation in balancing markets and ancillary services. 'The key is to expose renewable energy facilities to system constraints,' he explained. 'If a producer can adapt and shift surplus electricity to the balancing market — instead of relying only on the day-ahead market — that can generate added value for the system.' However, he warned of the consequences of long-term negative electricity prices, which are becoming more common in countries with high renewable penetration. 'Developers are very aware that prolonged periods of negative pricing reduce the capacity to capture market value,' he said. 'This makes it harder to finance new projects.' Faucheux also pointed to a broader technical concern: increasing system instability due to limited storage and the need for real-time balancing. 'We've used much of our available storage. The system now requires continuous adjustments between production and demand, which creates a highly complex and volatile market,' he said. He explained that abnormal pricing is not necessarily a market flaw. 'Markets reflect economic value. When we see very low or negative prices, it's not a failure of the market's design — it's a reflection of how actors behave and whether incentives are aligned,' he said. Rather than launching entirely new frameworks, Faucheux advocated for modifying earlier contracts that distort market dynamics. 'Often, the same developers who built projects five years ago are now planning new ones,' he said. 'Fixing past contracts — even with limited gains — helps maintain investor confidence.' Faucheux noted that the policy approach should be tailored to each country's specific electricity system. 'There's no single solution,' he said. 'Sweden, with its hydropower-based system, faces different challenges from France, which relies on nuclear and gas. Solar and wind also behave differently — wind has inertia, while solar is more variable.' He concluded with a call for practical dialogue and contextual understanding: 'It's not about copying someone else's policy. It's about understanding your own system and deciding whether a solution that worked elsewhere fits your problem. We may face different challenges, but the technical foundation of our systems is the same.'
Sharjah 24
09-05-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
ERRA outlines future plans during its general assembly at ADIBF
The association's presence at the fair reflects its dedication to establishing a firm footing at major cultural events and engaging with the publishing and creative sectors to raise awareness of the importance of reprographic rights and intellectual property. It also underlines ERRA's role in protecting the rights of authors and creators amid the growing challenges posed by the digital environment and the ongoing expansion of production and publishing tools. Mohamed Bin Dakhen, President of the Board of the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association (ERRA), reinforced that holding the general assembly during the Fair represents a strategic opportunity to evaluate performance and enhance governance. He also highlighted the fair's significance as a key platform for direct engagement with the public. He stated: 'The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is a leading national platform that brings together diverse stakeholders across the culture and creative sectors. It presents an ideal occasion for convening our general assembly, showcasing our efforts in supporting creators, and developing new partnerships that respond to the rapidly evolving digital publishing landscape.' Bin Dakhen added: 'We are keen on making our participation in this global cultural event an opportunity to introduce the association's services, membership mechanisms, and the vital role of mandates in rights protection. It is also a chance to broaden our relationships with partners in the publishing, creative, and educational sectors, while reaffirming the association's role in safeguarding intellectual property rights within a comprehensive framework that fosters cultural production and supports knowledge sustainability.' Bin Dakhen further explained that ERRA's participation is part of its ongoing commitment to raising public awareness of reprographic rights, promoting the responsible use of content, and cultivating a culture of respect for reprographic right s and related rights. He also highlighted the association's efforts to strengthen engagement with authors and publishers, expand the scope of mandates and memberships, and enhance collaboration with educational institutions, libraries, and universities to facilitate legal licensing of works within a structured framework that balances fair use with rights protection. ERRA's participation in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair reflects its sustained efforts to establish a legal and cultural environment that respects intellectual property rights, supports creators, and safeguards their work—contributing to the growth of the creative economy in the UAE and reinforcing its position as a hub for innovation and creativity.
