'In this debate, which brings together governments, public and private entities, and academic institutions, the role of regulators is essential'

The Association of Energy Regulators of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (RELOP) is a consultative observer of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) and a founding member of the CPLP Thematic Commission on Energy, together with ALER.

It was within this context that, from the outset, RELOP embraced the project of organizing a series of four CPLP Energy and Climate Seminars, in partnership with the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, which holds the pro tempore Presidency of the CPLP, and ALER. Now, it is with great enthusiasm that we are hosting the 3rd Seminar on carbon markets in Brazil, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, on 4th November 2024.

In this debate, which brings together governments, public and private entities, and academic institutions, the role of regulators is essential. We support countries in developing a favorable framework that brings security to investors and guarantees the public-private complementarity of financial resources in sustainable energy projects, contributing to the acceleration of the energy transition, especially in developing economies.

Our perspective, in line with what is being planned at RELOP, is to get increasingly closer to the countries represented in our Association, so that we can provide the necessary support for these agencies to structure and develop their energy sectors, both electricity and oil and gas.

Regulation is essential in the energy transition and we have very positive examples in both Brazil and Portugal. These are countries that have managed to restructure their energy sectors in recent years, with independent market operators and electricity system operators. Using ANEEL as an example, with our 27 years of experience, we have increasingly sought to ensure the quality and sustainability of the electricity service in Brazil, and it is essential to share experiences in tackling the challenges related to energy and the climate.

RELOP's role is just that, training and disseminating knowledge and, in this context, ANEEL, together with Itaipu Binacional, will host the 1st ARIAE-RELOP Joint International Conference on 6th November 2024, right after the CPLP seminar, which will bring together Portuguese-speaking and Spanish-speaking regulators around the theme “The role of regulation in the current energy and climate landscape”. The conference will take place at the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, and includes Isabel Cancela de Abreu, Executive Director of ALER, among the speakers.

We look forward to meeting you in Rio de Janeiro for our Seminar and then in Foz do Iguaçu to continue discussing these issues that are so important to our societies.

Sandoval Feitosa

President of the Association of Energy Regulators of Portuguese-speaking Countries (RELOP) and General Director of the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL)