Panel - Energy Regulation in Europe, Africa and Middle East

Alberto Biancardi

Vice-Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Energy at United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Vice Chair of OMEC’s Strategy and International Cooperation Committee, International Relations at Gestore dei Servizi Energetici – GSE Spa (The Italian Energy Services Agency), Secretary-general at AREL (Centre for Studies, Research and Legislation Agency)

Vice-Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Energy (elected by the Group of Experts on Renewable Energy) at United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). In charge of International Relations at Gestore dei Servizi Energetici – GSE Spa (The Italian Energy Services Agency). Secretary-general at AREL (Centre for Studies, Research and Legislation Agency). Vice Chair of OMEC’s Strategy and International Cooperation Committee. With a background as economist, he served with the following institutions: AGCM (the Italian Antitrust Authority, the Italian Electricity and Gas Regulatory Authority, the Single Buyer (Acquirente Unico Spa), the Ministry for Industry and the Italian Prime Minister’s Office. In the latter institution, he coordinated the NARS (the counselling unit operating with the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning, or ‘CIPE’, on the regulatory themes related to network-infrastructure services). He also served with Eni and Enel (as the President’s assistant). From March 2007 to the current office, he served as: Director General of the Equalisation Fund for the Electricity Sector (CCSE). He has been Chair of WAREG (European Water Regulators) in 2015. Alberto Biancardi is the author of numerous publications on public services and economic regulation.

Hasan Ozkoc

Medreg

Mr. OZKOC is the Director of the Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG). He leads MEDREG in developing activities, tools, regulatory standards and good practices to promote a functioning, interoperated, compatible and sustainable regulatory framework in the Mediterranean region. Prior to MEDREG, he occupied the position of Sector Manager for Energy at the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, managing reform process, implementation and follow-up of pre-accession developments, monitoring and coordinating the programmes/projects under the EU Financial Assistance to Turkey between July 2010 and March 2018. In 2006, he worked as Senior Gas Expert (Head of Hydrocarbons) for the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna, where he contributed to the development of strategies for gas market structures in the South-Eastern European Countries and monitored the compliance of Members with the EU’s internal energy directives. He worked for the Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) from its establishment in 2001 until 2009. He was involved in the preparation and implementation of the implementing legislation of the Natural Gas Market Law. Following his graduation, he joined Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) in 1994 as a natural gas engineer and specialised on natural gas and LNG sales and purchase agreements as well as gas infrastructures. He received a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Science Engineering and later an MS from the Middle East Technical University (METU).

Gianluca Sambucini

Sustainable Energy Division – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Gianluca Sambucini is the Secretary of the Group of Experts on Renewable Energy (GERE) within the Sustainable Energy Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).In 2020, he was Acting Chief of the joint UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section. He has been working at the UNECE since 1994 with an experience at the EBRD between 1997 and 1998 in the Agribusiness Team and the office for the Central European Initiative (CEI) Fund at the EBRD. Within UNECE, he was managing a cooperation programme with CEI/EBRD from 1998 to 2004. He was programme manager and one of the founders of InterSOS, humanitarian aid organization, in 1992. He also worked for the Insitute for Economic Cooperation and Development Issues (ICEPS) in 1990-1991 and the National Research Council (CNR) in 1988, and the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI) in 1987. Gianluca hold a PhD in International Cooperation and Sustainable Development Policies (University of Bologna) and a Master Degree in Rural Development Planning (University of East Anglia, Norwich). He also hold a Master degree in Political Science with specialization on International Relations (La Sapienza, Rome) and a post-graduate diploma on diplomatic career and international organization careers at the SIOI.

Branislav Prelevic

Energy Regulatory Agency of Montenegro

Is the President of the Energy and Water Regulatory Agency of Montenegro. Before being elected to the position of President, he held the position of Board member for one term. For three terms, from 2013 to 2017, Mr. Prelević chaired the Energy Community Regulatory Board, the coordinating body of the national regulators of the Energy Community. Also, since 2019, he has been a Member of the Advisory Committee, which was established within the Energy Community Regulatory School. Under his leadership, the Energy and Water Regulatory Agency became an observer at the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) in 2018, as the first Energy Community Contracting Party to be granted observer status. For the last two years, he has held the position of Vice-President at the Association of Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG). Mr. Prelević is an economist, holding a Master of Science in Energy Management – B.I. Oslo, IFP Pariz, ESCP Paris. Since 2012 he is Lecturer at Energy Economics at the University of Donja Gorica (UDG) in Podgorica.

Elton B. Radheshi

Energy Regulator Authority (ERE), Albania

Elton B. Radheshi was born in Tirana/Albania in 1973. He holds a degree of Master in Science in Electrical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Tirana in 1996 and started his working career in the power sector immediately after graduation. During his long and successful career in the Power Sector, Mr. Radheshi held many key and important positions in the power sector such as the chief of cabinet of the CEO of KESH (Albanian Power Corporation) head of the Project Implementation Unit in TSO, Director of Market Operations Department of TSO, Deputy Chairman of the board of directors in SEE CAO (Podgorica/Montenegro) and chairman of the Western Balkan 6 Task Force for the Regional Group South East Europe of ENTSO-E. Mr. Radheshi started his journey in ERE first as a senior adviser of the Board of Commissioners, to become the head of international affairs. Since August 2019 he holds the position of the Secretary-General of the Authority in charge of the Administration of the Staff of the regulator as well as support to the Board on their decision making. Since April 2019, Mr. Radheshi was is also appointed as the Chairman of the ECRB Remit working group.

Salvio Lanza

Balkan Energy School

I have been collaborating with the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy Network and Environment (ARERA) since 2011, being involved in the integration of the European electricity market and the implementation of EU regulations on that subject. In particular, I co-chaired the ACER Task Force aiming at implementing the EU Regulation 2015/1222 (CACM) and EU Regulation 2016/1719 (FCA). In parallel, I co-chaired the ECRB Electricity Working Group and chaired the CACM Pentalateral Coordination Group.
Since 2017, I have been closely following, on behalf of ARERA, the market-coupling project between Albania, Italy, Montenegro and Serbia.
In 2022, I actively contributed to establishing the Balkan Energy School, whose activities I have been coordinating until today. Since the second half of 2023, I have been co-chairing the Joint Expert Team for enlarging market coupling to Energy Community Contracting parties.
My initial work experience was as a risk manager at the Italian Single Buyer. I got a PhD in Economics.

Roberto Vigotti

RES4Africa

Roberto Vigotti is the Secretary General of RES4Africa Foundation, gathering more than 30 stakeholders to accelerate Africa’s sustainable transformation, supporting wider participation of private players in delivering investments in Africa, with Africa and for Africa. In his 40 year-long career he has covered various positions at Enel, University of Pisa, IEA, IRENA and Eurelectric. In 2012, he embarked on the RES4Africa Foundation promoting a number of activities like public-private dialogue, market- driven analysis, training and capacity building activities, and on-field projects.
With a Master’s Degree in 1971 in Electrical Engineering, Roberto Vigotti spent 35 years in Enel power company R&D Division, first in the field of ultra-high voltage transmission and from 1982 in the co-ordination of R&D programmes in the field of new renewable energies.
During his career he was delegate in the Renewable Working Party of International Energy Agency (IEA) since 1989, where he was Chair for 12 years and started the IEA PV power system cooperation agreement. Mr. Vigotti is also member of the Coalition for Action of IRENA.