- E-mailignacio.herrera-anchustegui@uib.no
- Phone+47 55 58 39 20
- Visitor AddressMagnus Lagabøtes plass 1. 5010 Bergen. Norway.BergenRoom527
- Postal AddressPostboks 78065020 Bergen
I am Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bergen, and member of the Bergen Center for Competition Law & Economics (BECCLE) and Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW). I currently lead the Research group for Climate, Energy and Environmental Law. My research interests are connected with the regulation of energy markets with a special emphasis on the regulation of offshore energy, offshore wind and new energy technologies, like hydrogen. Also, I have devoted a good part of my academic career to market and competition issues in the field of public procurement and buyer power.
I obtained my PhD from the University of Bergen with a thesis entitled "Buyer Power in EU Competition Law" (2012-2017), financed by the Norwegian Research Council. My PhD dissertation won the prestigious “2017 Concurrences PhD Award” to the best PhD dissertation in the field of competition law or economics of the year, awarded by Concurrences. In addition to the award, the thesis has been published as a monograph and it is available here.
As part of my on-going projects, I am the leader of the research project Governing Offshore Wind: Legal Challenges, Market Opportunities and Policy Perspectives (GOV-WIND). Further, as part of my work on energy law, I have published extensively in the field and I am one of the editors of a leading Handbook in the field - the Routledge Handbook of Energy Law.
Also, I received the Meltzerprisen for yngre forskere 2017 for my academic research and significant contributions to EU/EEA market law scholarship as a leading academic at the University of Bergen under 35 years old.
Previously I was leader of a research project financed by Statoil through the AkademiaAvtalen entitled "Regulating energy markets, a perspective from EEA/EU Competition and Public Procurement Law" (2017-2019). As part of this research project, I was awarded the prestigious International Scholar-in-Residence scholarship by the American Bar Association, which allowed me to visit the US for a period of almost four months and carry our research in the comparative regulation of transmission unbundling infrastructures in electricity markets while being a visiting researcher at Georgetown Law Center, D.C., and the School of Law of the University of Wisconsin.
I often contribute to social media and public debate on energy transition and my work has appeared in several national newspapers as well as internationally, including The Guardian.
If you are interested in my work, please visit my SSRN site to get access to most of my publications.
I am a frequent contributor to national and international debates in my areas of expertise. Both at academic conferences and seminar with presentations, as well as participations in popular press in the form of expert interviews in newspapers or journals.
Additionally, I am often invited to contribute as a guest author in different blogs and internet sites. For example:
- Invited entry in EFTA-Studies.org - a blog on EEA Law - The Norwegian Offshore Wind Paradox: Energy sea production compliant with EEA law?
- Invited entry in Energi og Klima - Strømbrudd i ACER-debatten
- Invited entry in the blog "Competencia y Regulación" of Prof. Antonio Robles Martín-Laborda. "DIA/EROSKI y las alianzas compradoras, segunda parte: La Resolución de la CNMC".
- Interview "Issues with the centralisation of procurement" in the Public Procurement Podcast Series by Pedro Telles, Senior Lecturer in Law at Swansea University and sponsored by the British Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Invited entry in the blog "Competencia y Regulación" of Prof. Antonio Robles Martín-Laborda entitled "Sobre el abuso de dependencia económica y los códigos de conducta: El caso Tesco (plazos de pago y slotting allowances)".
- Invited entry in the Competition Policy Blog of the Centre for Competition Policy (UEA). "Unfair purchasing practices and the Groceries Code of Conduct: the Tesco Investigation".
- Invited entry in the blog "Competencia y Regulación" of Prof. Antonio Robles Martín-Laborda. "El Acuerdo DIA-EROSKI: Alianza compradora o cártel de compra?" (The DIA-EROSKI Agreement: Buying alliance or buyers cartel?)".
- Invited entry in the blog "Competencia y Regulación" of Prof. Antonio Robles Martín-Laborda."Sobre el abuso de dependencia económica en la cadena alimentaria: el asunto EDEKA" (On abuse of economic dependence in food retailing: the EDEKA case).
I am involved in the teaching of several courses at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bergen. In addition, I also take part in interdisciplinary teaching at the University of Bergen but often collaborate with teaching in other institutions in the field of Energy Law (these include, for example, the University of Lisbon and the Technical University of Berlin).
At the UiB, I am currently responsible for the following courses:
Law of the Sea and its Uses: This course seeks to provide the law students with expertise concerning the applicable rules governing the different uses of the sea from a sustainable development and multidisciplinary perspective.
Energy Law: Hydrocarbons, Renewables and Energy Markets: In this course we study how legal regulation can contribute to an effective and sufficient energy production and consumption within sustainable limits.
International Climate Law: a course fully devoted to the analysis of the law and policy designed to mitigate climate change from an EU/EEA perspective.
- (2024). Gone with the wind? Wind farm-induced wakes and regulatory gaps. Marine Policy.
- (2024). Gone with the wind? Wind farm-induced wakes and regulatory gaps. Marine Policy. 12 pages.
- (2022). Wind Energy on the High Seas: Regulatory Challenges for a Science Fiction Future. Energies. 20 pages.
- (2022). The General Court on Network Codes: A Blow to the Commission and ACER in MEKH and FGSZ v ACER? Oil, Gas and Energy Law (OGEL). 1-12.
- (2022). Regulatory and Policy Frameworks for Offshore Wind Projects: Spatial and Temporal Considerations in Light of Fisheries Sustainability amid Climate Change. Oil, Gas and Energy Law (OGEL). 1-28.
- (2022). Competition on the merits in liberalised electricity markets: a regulatory reading of AG Rantos’ Opinion in Servizio Elettrico Nazionale. Utilities Law Review. 1-7.
- (2020). Regulating the food supply chain in Europe and the Unfair Trading Practices Directive. Revue européenne de droit de la consommation. 165-188.
- (2020). Is Hywind Tampen’s State Aid Approval a Kickstart for the Norwegian Offshore Wind Industry? Decision 017/20/COL Hywind Tampen, EFTA Surveillance Authority. European State Aid Law Quarterly. 225-231.
- (2019). Oil as Currency: Venezuela's Petro, a New 'Oil Pattern'? Oil, Gas and Energy Law (OGEL). 1-20.
- (2019). Exemption from the Utilities Directive – brief overview of EU law and case law. Internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny. 149-157.
- (2018). Evaluating the Commission’s Proposal for a Directive on Unfair Trading Practices. Competition in Fairness? European Competition and Regulatory Law Review (CoRe). 280-289.
- (2018). Buyer power and Dominance: An overview of EU and national case law - Special issue of e-Competitions. e-Competitions Bulletin.
- (2017). Joint Bidding and Object Restrictions of Competition: The EFTA Court’s Take in the Taxi Case. European Competition and Regulatory Law Review (CoRe). 174-179.
- (2017). Buyer Power in the Big Data and Algorithm Driven World: The Uber & Lyft Example. Antitrust Chronice. 31-36.
- (2016). Revisiting the concept of undertaking from a public procurement law perspective - a discussion on EasyPay and Finance Engineering. European Competition Law Review. 93-98.
- (2015). EFTA Court case E-24/13 Casino Admiral AG v Wolfgang Egger: the obligation of transparency and consequences of its breach when awarding service concessions. The Public Procurement Law Review. NA1-NA9.
- (2015). Competition law through an Ordoliberal Lens. Oslo Law Review. 139-174.
- (2015). Centralising Public Procurement and Competitiveness in Directive 2014/24. European Law Reporter. 119-132.
- (2023). Where is the law in HyValue?
- (2023). What is the role of buyer power in competition law?
- (2023). What if I told you that one of the decarbonization paths comes through oil and gas electrification?
- (2023). What has WP 6 been up to in 2023 and which plans for 2024 in HyValue?
- (2023). Some reflections on the LAC landscape and energy transition.
- (2023). Offshore wind and fisheries: A regulatory perspective.
- (2023). Offshore wind and fisheries: A regulatory perspective.
- (2023). Joint purchasing agreements in the New Horizontal Guidelines.
- (2023). Introduction to the Norwegian Energy Legal Framework.
- (2023). How much procurement is there in the centralized purchasing of energy.
- (2023). Havvind og fiskeri: Et regulatorisk perspektiv.
- (2023). Er det plass til alle? Plasshensyn i havvindplanlegging.
- (2023). Det juridiske fakultet besøker Equinor.
- (2023). De Noruega a Colombia, algunas reflexiones sobre la energía aguas afuera.
- (2023). Competition Law, Sustainability and Energy Infrastructure.
- (2023). Collaborating in academia: some personal experiences.
- (2023). Circular Economy and Decommissioning.
- (2023). CCUS Regulation in Mexico.
- (2023). An Introduction to EU Competition Law, with a Canadian flavour.
- (2022). Where do we stand in Energy and Environmental Law at the UiB?
- (2022). Where are we at the UiB in the Business of Clean Hydrogen Energy:A Focus on Norway and Canada.
- (2022). What’s with the cables – Sørlige Nordsjø II.
- (2022). What's new in State aid in renewable energy projects?
- (2022). What is going on with the European Electricity Prices?
- (2022). What is Norway up to in Offshore Wind.
- (2022). Theories and Principles of Regulation: Introduction to Energy Competition Policy.
- (2022). The role of CCS in the offshore energy transition: Hydrogen, Energy Islands and Multi-Use? .
- (2022). The Gas & Hydrogen Package: Implications and reflections.
- (2022). The EU/EEA Electricity Crisis Toolbox - ARQUS Week.
- (2022). Regulating EU/EEA Electricity Markets: An Introduction.
- (2022). Q&A Session and Final Reflections.
- (2022). Prices and Crisis: What's going on in electricity market these days?
- (2022). Plassering av vindmøller: noen rettslige betraktninger.
- (2022). Nye områder for havvind - mulighetsrommet .
- (2022). Norway: From Oil and Gas to Renewables (and back)?
- (2022). Noen få ord om elektrisitetsregulering.
- (2022). Law: The Power of Change.
- (2022). La Regulación del Hidrógeno en Noruega: En Dónde estamos, a dónde vamos?
- (2022). Konkurranserett og bærekraft, virkelig motstridende?
- (2022). Joint purchasing of gas and the energy transition.
- (2022). Joint Purchasing of Energy: Competition Law Implications.
- (2022). Introduction to Norwegian Energy Law: Hydrocarbons and Renewables.
- (2022). Hva, hvorfor, hvordan og når: Konsesjonsprosessen for havvind .
- (2022). Energy and Climate Law Research at the UiB.
- (2022). Decommissioning of Offshore Energy Structures and Sustainability.
- (2022). Competition law and joint purchasing of energy.
- (2022). Climate and Energy Law at the UiB: An Introduction to our Research Group.
- (2022). Buyer Power in EU Competition Law.
- (2021). Τhe present and future of the decommissioning of energy installations.
- (2021). What's coming in Fit for 55.
- (2021). What are we up to in Offshore Wind at the University of Bergen?
- (2021). Stortingsmelding og havvindveileder - lansering og forberedelse.
- (2021). Pushing for better decommissiong – Using law for change.
- (2021). PRE-DECOR: Understanding decommissioning of offshore infrastructures: A legal and economic appetizer.
- (2021). Offshore wind and hydrocarbons: Regulatory possibilities.
- (2021). Offshore Wind for Oil and Gas Production: A Legal Perspective.
- (2021). Offshore Wind Licensing Process: Where are we at?
- (2021). Ofertas a precio cero y ofertas predatorias.
- (2021). Norwegian Legal Frameworks for Oil and Gas.
- (2021). Jussen i vind.
- (2021). Introduction to the Norwegian Energy Legal Framework.
- (2021). Implications of the EU Taxonomy for the electrification of the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
- (2021). Havvind rettslig rammeverk.
- (2021). Governing Offshore Wind: Legal Challenges, Market Opportunities and Policy Perspectives (GOV-WIND) in a nutshell.
- (2021). From PRE-DECOR to R-DECO: Reutilisation, DEcommissioning and Circularity of Offshore energy infrastructures.
- (2021). Ex Post Assessment of European Competition Policy: Buyer power in concentration cases.
- (2021). Evaluaciones ex post: poder de compra y concentraciones.
- (2021). Decommissioning of Offhsore Energy Structures.
- (2021). Dealing with excessive(?) electricity prices: What is in the EU Toolbox?
- (2021). Dealing with excessive(?) electricity prices: What is in the EU Toolbox?
- (2021). Buyer power in EU competition & procurement law.
- (2020). What’s new in the EU Clean Energy Package for local electricity grids?: An Overview.
- (2020). Theories and Principles of Regulation: Towards Competition .
- (2020). The Norwegian Offshore Wind Paradox: Legal Framework.
- (2020). The Norwegian Offshore Wind Paradox.
- (2020). The Norwegian Offshore Wind Paradox.
- (2020). Offentlig støtte og finansiering av norsk havvind.
- (2020). Moderation & Chairing of the "Role and Scope of Energy Regulation".
- (2020). Legal Resarch at the Bergen Offshore Wind Centre.
- (2020). Law & Economics panel: Divesting and the oil fund: The Norwegian Paradox and Competition Concerns.
- (2020). Juridiske utfordringer knyttet til energiomstilling.
- (2020). Juridiske problemstillinger i energi – en apetittvekker.
- (2020). Hywind Tampen: A Regulatory Gamechanger for (Norwegian) Offshore Wind?
- (2020). Greenlight to offshore wind farms in the EEA. Is Hywind Tampen’s State aid approval a kickstart for the Norwegian Offshore Wind Industry? .
- (2020). Governing Offshore Wind: Legal Challenges, Market Opportunities and Policy Perspectives (GOV-WIND).
- (2020). From Enso/Stora to Uber/Lyft: Uses and Abuses of Buyer Power.
- (2020). Energy Transition in the Nordics: The Norwegian case regarding oil and gas?
- (2020). Distribute justice, community benefits and renewable energy: the case of Offshore Wind projects.
- (2020). Community benefits and renewable energy projects: the case of offshore wind.
- (2020). Community benefits and renewable energy projects: the case of offshore wind.
- (2020). Center for Sustainable Legal Orders and the Political Economy: Eit forskingsinitiativ.
- (2020). Buying Groups and Buying Alliances - Buying Groups e Cartel de Compra.
- (2019). What to do with Zero Rating.
- (2019). Utilities Procurement and Sufficient Exposure to Competiton: The Energy Case.
- (2019). Upstream Energy Markets.
- (2019). The Venezuelan Political and petroleum Crisis – recoverable? .
- (2019). The Dis-Application of the Public Utilities Directive to Energy Operators due to Sufficient Competition.
- (2019). Regulating Unfair Trading Practices in EU Law.
- (2019). Ordoliberalism and Competition Law.
- (2019). Investing in European Energy Markets and State aid rules.
- (2019). EU Competition & State Aid Law in the Energy Sector.
- (2019). Derecho de la Competencia, Economía y Prueba (Competition Law, Economics and Evidence).
- (2019). Demand Response: Technological Changes and The Rules of the Clean Energy Package.
- (2019). Concluding remarks on Developments in Energy Markets.
- (2019). Competencia, Interés General y Mala Regulación (Competition, General Interest and Bad Regulation).
- (2019). Capacity Remuneration Mechanisms in EU Law.
- (2019). Buyer Power in EU Competition Law.
- (2019). An Introduction to the Competitiveness and Regulation of Offshore Wind Electricity.
- (2018). Zero rating, a competition and legal perspective.
- (2018). What is and why zero rating matters?
- (2018). Third Party Access and Ownership Unbundling in Electricity - A Comparative Analysis.
- (2018). The Winter Package and the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators.
- (2018). Regulating Energy Markets: a glimpse into Third Party Access and Demand Response.
- (2018). Regulating Energy Markets: A Competition and Public Procurement Perspective.
- (2018). Regulating EU/EEA Electricity Markets: An Introduction.
- (2018). Reflecting upon the 'As Efficient Competitor Test'.
- (2018). Poder de Compra en el Derecho de la Competencia (Buyer Power in Competition Law).
- (2018). Net Neutrality and Zero Rating: Competition Issues?
- (2018). Is the growth of buyer power a competition problem?
- (2018). Internet of Things and Demand Response in Electricity Markets.
- (2018). Demand Response: Legal Challenges.
- (2018). Chicago vs Ordoliberalismo - Objetivos y funciones del Derecho de la Competencia (Chicago vs Ordoliberalism - Objectives and functions of Competition Law).
- (2018). Centralized Purchasing: Between Competition and Procurement.
- (2018). Centralized (Joint) Procurement: Fostering competitiveness?
- (2018). Ayudas Estatales y Mecanismos de Remuneración de Capacidad (State aid and capacity remuneration mechanisms).
- (2017). Unbundling in electricity transmission and distribution in the EU.
- (2017). Third Party Access and Transmission Unbundling: A Transatlantic Perspective.
- (2017). Third Party Access and Transmission Unbundling: A Transatlantic Perspective.
- (2017). The Role (and room) of the State in Implementing Renewable Energy in Public Procurement.
- (2017). Regulating energy markets – some difficulties between regulation and competition.
- (2017). Poder de compra y defensa de la competencia: análisis jurídico-económico -.
- (2017). Do methods matter in your PhD?
- (2017). Directives 2009/72 & 2009/73: on the rules for electricity & gas in the internal market.
- (2017). Competition Law and Ordoliberalism.
- (2017). Common market provisions in the EU: internal energy market, competition.
- (2017). Buyer Power, Joint Purchasing and Unfair Purchasing Practices- Innkjøpssamarbeid - kjøpermakt.
- (2017). Buyer Power in EU Competition Law.
- (2017). Buyer Power in Competition Law.
- (2016). What is Buyer Power all about in EU Competition Law?
- (2016). Unfair Purchasing Practices in EU Competition Law.
- (2016). Unfair Purchasing Practices.
- (2016). Poder de Compra en el Derecho Comunitario de la Competencia.
- (2016). Exclusionary Buyer Power in EU Competition Law.
- (2016). Exclusionary Buyer Power.
- (2016). Exclusionary Buyer Power.
- (2016). Buyer Power in EU Competition Law.
- (2015). Regulating energy markets: a competition and public procurement perspective.
- (2015). Market definition in buyer power cases: revisiting the traditional methodologies.
- (2015). Exploiting Buyer Power.
- (2015). Division into lots vs Contract Aggregation - Extremes looking for the correct balance?
- (2015). Directive 2014/24: Division into lots vs Contract Aggregation - Extremes looking for the correct balance?
- (2015). Countervailing Buyer Power.
- (2015). Centralizing Public Procurement in Directive 2014/24: Suggestions towards Competitiveness.
- (2015). Buyer power in EEA/EU Public Procurement.
- (2015). Buyer Power through an Ordoliberal lens.
- (2015). Buyer Power in EEA/EU Competition Law.
- (2015). "Market Buyer Power assessment: revisiting some traditional vies".
- (2014). Public Procurement Law at the University of Bergen.
- (2014). Buyer power in EU competition law: An economically informed legal analysis.
- (2014). Buyer power exclusion in EU Competition Law.
- (2013). The Regulation of Monopsony and Buyer Power of Contracting Authorities subject to EU Public Procurement Law.
- (2013). Buyer Power in EU Competition Law: An Introduction to my PhD project.
- (2012). Centralización de Pública: Entre Competencia y Compra Pública (Buying centralization: Between Competition and Procurement).
- (2019). Legal Foundations of EU Economic Governance, by A. Estella (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018, ISBN 9781107141018) - Book review. Journal of Common Market Studies. 1204-1205.
- (2016). Book review: Public Procurement and the EU Competition Rules (A. Sánchez Graells). European Competition Law Review. 84-87.
- (2016). Book Review - Caroline Heide-Jørgensen, Christian Bergqvist, Ulla Neergaard & Sune Troels Poulsen (Eds.), Aims and Values in Competition Law (DJØF Publishing, 2013). The Competition Law Review. 1-4.
- (2020). Routledge Handbook of Energy Law. Routledge.
- (2020). EU-regler løyer norsk havvind: Norsk industri må trolig se langt etter særbehandling . Dagens Perspektiv. 24-27.
- (2018). Strømbrudd i ACER-debatten. Energi og Klima : Norsk klimastiftelses nettmagasin. 3 pages.
- (2021). Jussen må være på plass før energiomstilligen. Bergens Tidende. 1 pages.
- (2021). Elektrisk oljeproduksjon er veien å gå mot det grønne skiftet. Forskning.no.
- (2018). Buyer Power in Merge Control: An Overview of EU and National Case Law. Special issue of e-Competitions. e-Competitions Bulletin. 16 pages.
- (2022). Epilogue: Changing Latin America Through the Energy Transformation? 14 pages.
- (2021). Is EU Competition Law a Hindrance for Aggregated Demand Response? 48 pages.
- (2021). Extraterritorial Effects of EU Law on Gas Pipelines: The Case of Gazprom and Nord Stream 2. 28 pages.
- (2021). Distributive Justice, Community Benefits and Renewable Energy: Offshore Wind Projects. 26 pages.
- (2021). Article 46 Division of contacts into lots. 11 pages.
- (2019). Concesiones de Servicios. Directiva 2014/23 Relativa a la Adjudicación de Contratos de Concesión. Un Estudio Comparativo sobre su Transposición al Derecho Noruego. 46 pages.
- (2016). The Social Market Economy and the European Union. 6 pages.
- (2016). Impact of public procurement aggregation on competition. Risks, rationale and justification for the rules in directive 2014/24. 35 pages.
- (2016). Division into lots and demand aggregation – extremes looking for the correct balance? 20 pages.
- (2016). Buyer power exploitation: Unfair Purchasing Practices. 73 pages.
More information in national current research information system (CRIStin)
I am involved in several research projects. Most of them have been possible thanks to external funding from different sources. Some of these are listed below:
Governing Offshore Wind: Legal Challenges, Market Opportunities and Policy Perspectives (GOV-WIND), as principal investigator
ImpactWind Sørvest: lead by NORCE, as task leader
PRE-DECOR - Decommissioning Regulation and Contractual Implications part of Center for Recommissioning and Decommissioning Vestland, as co-principal investigator along with Prof. Gunnar Eskeland