PROFESSOR BADISSY IS KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK PACIFIC CEO FORUM
November 2020 — Sharing his insights on the regulatory and economic benefits of greater transparency around power purchasing agreements (PPAs), Professor Mohamed Rali Badissy was a keynote speaker at the 2020 Pacific CEO Forum. The Pacific CEO Forum is an annual conference that brings together representatives from energy regulators in the Pacific Islands, project developers, and partners governments/multilateral institutions, hosted by the Asian Development Bank.
Given that the Asian Development Bank is the primary funder for power sector development in the region, Professor Badissy had the opportunity to explain how increased contract transparency is beneficial for the drive to expand energy access in emerging markets and the transition to lower-carbon energy sources. The Asian Development Bank and its member countries in the Pacific region are prime candidates for a transparency campaign since the smaller energy markets are more likely to witness failed or over-budget projects due to information asymmetry in the marketplace. Pacific Island energy regulators also face some of the direst consequences of climate change and are seeking private investment in innovative projects (such as floating solar) that can transition their markets away from imported fossil-fuels and towards native energy sources. Professor Badissy was heartened by the frank and productive dialogue at the invite-only forum and looks forward to working with both the ADB and regional governments to overcome these challenges to energy sector development.
Professor Mohamed Rali Badissy currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Penn State Dickinson Law, where his research focuses on driving investment into sustainable energy projects through contract standardization and regulatory predictability. He previously served as the Senior Attorney for Energy and Finance with the Commercial Law Development Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce, advising governments in emerging markets on commercial law reforms intended to increase energy access through private investment in energy infrastructure. Badissy has advised energy sector reform efforts in 60+ emerging markets in partnership with host governments, multilateral institutions, civil society organizations and industry leaders, and continues to serve as an advisor to both public institutions and private developers. His work with governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia has often leveraged principles of Islamic Finance to attract new sources of investment in energy infrastructure.