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To stop the spread of COVID-19, governments have implemented confinement measures unprecedented in modern society. One of the main consequences has been the paralysis of commercial and industrial sectors worldwide, primary electricity consumers. This paper examines the impact of these measures on the electricity sector through a literature review accompanied by fieldwork on the impact of COVID-19 in Ibero-America and its energy regulatory response. First, we will review the causes of the reduction in electricity demand due to the confinement measures and their technical and financial consequences in the electricity sector. Second, we will examine the impact of COVID-19 on the wind and solar PV energy sectors, mainly affected by the paralysis of production and export of materials and components. Third, we will revise the regulatory measures implemented by the countries to avoid the interruption of electricity supply to households. This paper will end by reviewing economic recovery plans and their relationship to the energy transition. Although there are no fundamental differences between developed and developing countries in their regulatory reaction to this crisis in the energy sector, there are significant differences in economic recovery planning. While developed countries aim for a green economic recovery and the creation of green jobs, developing countries are allocating least resources to social protection and general economic stimulus programs, postponing climate objectives. In Latin America, this adds to the high levels of debt faced by utilities and the possible resurgence of social crises that were stopped by the COVID-19 outbreak, making a green recovery even more difficult. [Display omitted] • The reduction in electricity demand has caused technical challenges in the grid. • Electric utilities are facing growing and long-term financial problems. • Renewable energy projects have been delayed and financially harmed. • The measure to ban disconnection for non-payment has been implemented worldwide. • Latin American social crisis tempered by COVID-19 could hinder economic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To stop the spread of COVID-19, governments have implemented confinement measures unprecedented in modern society. One of the main consequences has been the paralysis of commercial and industrial sectors worldwide, primary electricity consumers. This paper examines the impact of these measures on the electricity sector through a literature review accompanied by fieldwork on the impact of COVID-19 in Ibero-America and its energy regulatory response. First, we will review the causes of the reduction in electricity demand due to the confinement measures and their technical and financial consequences in the electricity sector. Second, we will examine the impact of COVID-19 on the wind and solar PV energy sectors, mainly affected by the paralysis of production and export of materials and components. Third, we will revise the regulatory measures implemented by the countries to avoid the interruption of electricity supply to households. This paper will end by reviewing economic recovery plans and their relationship to the energy transition. Although there are no fundamental differences between developed and developing countries in their regulatory reaction to this crisis in the energy sector, there are significant differences in economic recovery planning. While developed countries aim for a green economic recovery and the creation of green jobs, developing countries are allocating least resources to social protection and general economic stimulus programs, postponing climate objectives. In Latin America, this adds to the high levels of debt faced by utilities and the possible resurgence of social crises that were stopped by the COVID-19 outbreak, making a green recovery even more difficult. [Display omitted] • The reduction in electricity demand has caused technical challenges in the grid. • Electric utilities are facing growing and long-term financial problems. • Renewable energy projects have been delayed and financially harmed. • The measure to ban disconnection for non-payment has been implemented worldwide. • Latin American social crisis tempered by COVID-19 could hinder economic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage systems (ESS) have the potential to make a significant contribution to planning and operation practises in power systems. While ESS can be used to provide multiple benefits in the power sector, widespread use has been restricted by high technology costs, lack of deployment experience, and the barriers and uncertainties caused by the present electricity market and regulatory structures that were designed for conventional electricity systems. This paper reviews countries with high renewable targets and with significant current or planned ESS deployments to ascertain the common problems affecting the use of ESS on the grid, and to establish where changes have been made or proposed to the electricity market and regulatory frameworks. Three major problems were identified as the undetermined asset class for ESS and unbundled electricity system limiting stakeholders from determining and realising multiple ESS benefits; low electricity market liquidity and changing market conditions; and a lack of common standards and procedures for evaluating, connecting, operating and maintaining ESS. Based on the established barriers, recommendations to update or create policies, regulation and market arrangements to increase the viability and wider use of grid level ESS are discussed. The three key regulatory and policy recommendations were identified as an alignment of renewable policies to that of ESS; creating a separate asset class for ESS and associated rules for regulated and competitive operations; and standardising assessment frameworks, connection and operational procedures for the use of ESS. Finally, three main electricity market recommendations include updating rules to support simultaneous ESS operation across wholesale, ancillary services and capacity markets; updating market rules to allow compensation for flexible and highly accurate responsive demand and generation technologies, such as ESS; and updating market ancillary services energy requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]