The contribution of energy law to the energy transition and energy research

Abstract

This article focuses on energy law’s contribution to the energy transition and to research on that transition. It is well known that law plays a pivotal role in governing the energy sector and has fundamental implications for the pursuit of the low-carbon transition. Despite this fact, law often remains confined within its silo, inaccessible to non-lawyers due to its distinctive methodological characteristics and internal jargon. This article aims to initiate an accessible dialogue between energy law and other energy-focused disciplines. It first explains how energy law, as a legal discipline, should be understood in this context and what that implies for energy law as a system of governance. It then explores the interface between energy law and other disciplines in which research into the energy transition is carried out. The article identifies and evaluates the roles of energy law in the energy transition, concluding with a summary of the implications of the role of energy law for the energy transition and for energy research.