Indeed, the exchanges around the challenges of the future of energy in the countries around the Mediterranean were as intense as they were diversified during the Third Workshop of Presidents and the 35th General Assembly of MEDREG which took place over two days in Rhodes. . “The role of coherent regulation in promoting energy transition in the Mediterranean region”, such is the central theme chosen for this strategic meeting with a high intellectual content.
This event brought together the driving forces of energy regulators, high-level decision makers and experts to discuss the latest developments and challenges related to the creation of a fully functional and interoperable Mediterranean energy market. In this perspective, two key points stood out in particular, namely the growing potential of green hydrogen on the one hand, and the fundamental importance of strengthening the independence of regulators for the achievement of their strategic missions on the other. go. “The Mediterranean energy market has the potential to attract more investment from around the world, given its size and its readiness for interconnection. In addition, our territory has enormous potential in terms of renewable energies and new energy carriers, particularly green hydrogen. In this perspective, only a totally independent energy regulator can ensure the transparency and neutrality necessary to exploit this precious opportunity”, declared Mr. Abdellatif BARDACH President of MEDREG, and President of the National Authority for the Regulation of Electricity (ANRE). It must be emphasized that green hydrogen has immense potential to contribute to the energy transition at a time when the technology is on the verge of reaching the maturity of being scaled up. In line with the avant-garde vision traced by His Majesty King Mohammed VI may God assist him, who, let us recall, has placed the operationalization of the green hydrogen sector as a priority, ANRE confirms its leadership by piloting the “Task Force” dedicated to this subject within MEDREG. In this register, the Autorité has dissected the challenges and prospects of this promising vector. An intervention which did not fail to arouse the interest and reactions of the participants, with as a point of convergence the imperative need to establish appropriate rules and regulations, to stimulate demand and to promote the production of hydrogen Green. Also, while emphasizing the importance of the independence of MEDREG in the same way as member regulators, Mrs. Milou BEEREPOOT, representative of the European Commission (EC), declared: “The EC maintains its commitment to placing energy at the center of its partnership with neighboring countries to the South and is increasingly seeking opportunities of mutual benefit, having a concrete positive impact on the populations concerned. (…) there is a need to strengthen the business environment through more comprehensive regulatory frameworks that will attract new sources of finance. It is precisely on this point that we rely on the role and expertise of MEDREG for our Mediterranean region. Finally, this high-level event concluded with the joining of the Regulatory Commission for Energy and Water Services of the Republic of North Macedonia, bringing to twenty-eight the number of members of this multilateral institution chaired by the Moroccan regulator.