Energy laws govern the use and taxation of energy, both renewable and non-renewable. These laws are the primary authorities (such as caselaw, statutes, rules, regulations and edicts) related to energy. In contrast, energy policy refers to the policy and politics of energy.
Energy law includes the legal provision for oil, gasoline, and "extraction taxes." The practice of energy law includes Oil and gas agreements and other contracts for siting, extraction, licenses for the acquisition and ownership rights in oil and gas both under the soil before discovery and after its capture, and adjudication regarding those rights.
Renewable energy law
International law
There is a growing academic interest in international energy law,Search Engine results for "international energy law" reveals over 15,000 titles, see Google search results. Retrieved March 10, 2009. including continuing legal education seminars, Proceedings of a conference held in Houston, Tex. treatises,Rex J. Zedalis, "International Energy Law" (Ashgate 2000) found at Google books. Retrieved March 10, 2009. law reviews,International Energy Law and Taxation Review (Int Energ Law Taxat Rev) Published by Sweet & Maxwell. . Found at Journal seek website . Retrieved March 10, 2009. and graduate courses.Catherine Redgwell, Course Syllabus, "International energy law," Course Code: LAWSG086, Masters of Law (LLM) at UCL, found at UCL website . Retrieved March 10, 2009. In the same line, there has been growing interest on energy-specific issues and their particular relation with international trade and connected organizations like the World Trade Organization.
There are also periodic international meetings such as the World Forum on Energy Regulation.
Africa
The Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cooperation between the various countries on energy law, policy, and development.
Egypt Egypt's Energy in Egypt is regulated by The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt, which is the government ministry in charge of managing and regulating the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Egypt. Its headquarters are in Cairo. The current minister as of 2020 is Mohamed Shaker. The ministry was established in 1964 with presidential decree No. 147. The famous Aswan High Dam, which produces electricity, is government owned and regulated; its construction required the removal of Abu Simbel temples and the Temple of Dendur. Egypt has established a separate power authority to build and operate a nuclear power plant.
Ghana
Ghana has a regulatory body over energy, the Energy Commission.
Nigeria Nigeria's government owns the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The Lagos Business School has a number of academic offerings related to the legal, economic, and business management of energy, particularly oil and petroleum, which is a major sector in Nigeria's economic sector. Nigeria heavily subsidies petrol, which mainly benefits rich people. On 1 January 2012, the Nigerian government headed by president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, tried to cease the subsidy on petrol and deregulate the oil prices by announcing the new price for petrol as US$0.88/litre from the old subsidised price of US$0.406/litre (LAGOS), which in areas distant from Lagos petrol was priced at US$1.25/litre. This led to the longest general strike (eight days), riots, Arab spring like protests and on 16 January 2012 the government capitulated by announcing a new price of US$0.60/litre with an envisaged price of US$2.0/litre in distant areas. In May 2016 the Buhari administration increased fuel prices again to NGN 145 per litre ($0.43 at black market rates for the currency). In September 2020, the government had announced an increase in the pump price of petrol to NGN 151.56 per litre from NGN 148.
Uganda Uganda has adopted a new nuclear power law, which it hopes "will boost technical cooperation between the country and the International Atomic Energy Agency," according to "a senior agency official" from that African country.Uganda's new atomic energy law, from New Vision (UK) website . Retrieved August 12, 2008.
Australia
Energy is big business in Australia. Australian Energy Producers represents 98% of the oil and gas producers in Australia. The main regulator is the Australian Atomic Energy Commission.
Bangladesh
The article above lists all the government-controlled corporations of Bangladesh.
Canada
Canada has an extensive energy law, both through the federation and the provinces, especially Alberta.Lexadin website. Retrieved September 29, 2008.Canada Energy Law Service website . Retrieved September 29, 2008.Alberta Canada government energy regulation website . Retrieved November 26, 2010. These include: Alternative Fuels Act ( 1995, c. 20 )Canada Department of Justice government website page on Alternative Fuels Act . Retrieved September 29, 2008. Cooperative Energy Act ( 1980-81-82-83, c. 108 ) Energy Administration Act ( R.S., 1985, c. E-6 ) Energy Monitoring Act ( R.S., 1985, c. E-8 ) Nuclear Energy Act ( R.S., 1985, c. A-16 )Canada Department of Justice government website page on Nuclear Energy Act . Retrieved September 29, 2008. Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act ( R.S., 1985, c. O-7 ) Canada Petroleum Resources Act ( 1985, c. 36 (2nd Supp.) )Canada Department of Justice government website page on Canada Petroleum Resources Act ( 1985, c. 36 (2nd Supp.) ) . Retrieved September 29, 2008. National Energy Board Act ( R.S., 1985, c. N-7 )Canada Department of Justice government website page on National Energy Board Act ( R.S., 1985, c. N-7 ) . Retrieved September 29, 2008. Electricity and Gas Inspection Act ( R.S., 1985, c. E-4 )Canada Department of Justice government website page on Electricity and Gas Inspection Act ( R.S., 1985, c. E-4 ) . Retrieved September 29, 2008.
There is some academic interest in the energy law of Canada, with looseleaf periodical services,Canadian Institute of Resources Law, "Canada Energy Law Service (Carswell, starting in 1990). Found at Carswell website, Open Library website and Canadian Institute of Resources Law website . Retrieved March 10, 2009. monographs,David Osigbernhe Iyalomh, Thesis, "Environmental Regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria: Lessons from Alberta's Experience," (University of Alberta 1998), found at national Library of Canada website. (.pdf) Retrieved March 10, 2009. and consultation with lawyers specializing in that practice,Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP website . (.pdf) Retrieved March 10, 2009. available.
The Supreme Court of Canada has had issued some Canadian energy case law.See, e.g., ATCO Gas & Pipelines Ltd. v. Alberta (Energy & Utilities Board), 2006 SCC 4, 1 S.C.R. 140 (concerning jurisdiction and standard of judicial review) found at U Montreal website. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
Canada's energy laws are so extensive and complicated in large part because of its government-owned energy resources:
Canada and the Quebec province also own extensive hydroelectric dam facilities, which have generated not only power but controversy.Katrina Kieltyka, "Sierra Club fighting plan to buy Canadian power: Say hydroelectric dams would harm indigenous people," Legislative Gazette, March 16, 2009, p. 21, available at Legislative Gazette archives (.pdf file). Retrieved March 20, 2009.
China
European Union
European energy law has been focused on the legal mechanisms for managing short-term disruptions to the continent's energy supply, such as Germany's 1974 Law to Secure the Energy Supply.Terence Daintith and Leigh Hancher, Energy strategy in Europe: the legal framework, pp. 3, 16, 26, 37–9, 97–8, 102. (European University Institute, Series A, Volume 4) (Walter de Gruyter, 1986) . Found at Google Books. Retrieved January 21, 2011. The European integrated hydrogen project was a European Union project to integrate United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) guidelines and create a basis of ECE regulation of hydrogen vehicles and the necessary infrastructure replacing national legislation and regulations. The aim of this project was enhancing of the safety of hydrogen vehicles and harmonizing their licensing and approval process.
Five nations have created the EurObserv'ER energy consortium. The EU has also created an Energy Community to extend their policies into Southeastern Europe. Austuraiu hosts the annual World Sustainable Energy Days.
The EU regulates motor vehicle emissions; see Directive 80/1269/EEC.
Germany
Germany's renewable energy law, the German Renewable Energy Sources Act, mandates the use of renewable energy through its taxes and tariffs. It promotes the development of renewable energy sources via a system of feed-in tariffs. It regulates the amount of energy generated by the producer and the type of renewable energy source. It also creates an incentive to encourage technological advancements and costs.English translation of EEG legislation . Retrieved August 2008. The results have been startling: on 6 June 2014, more than half of the nation's energy used on that date came from solar power. Despite regulatory processes adding more renewable energy to its energy mix, Germany's electric grid has become more reliable, not less.
The German government has proposed abandoning "its planned phase-out of nuclear energy to help rein in surging electricity prices and protect the environment, according to proposals drawn up by an energy task force under Economy Minister Michael Glos.". Retrieved August 12, 2008. The German Green Party has opposed nuclear energy, as well as the market power of German utilities, claiming the "energy shortfall" has been artificially created.Interview, "Green Party Energy Expert Höhn: 'The Nuclear Industry Has Invented the Energy Shortfall'" Spiegel, found at Spiegel Online. Retrieved August 21, 2008.
There is significant academic interest in German energy law.See for example, vetek.de Homepage des Instituts für Energie- und Regulierungsrecht Berlin e.V. (In German, English, Russian, and Spanish). Retrieved March 30, 2009. A chart summarizing German energy legislation is available.
Italy
Italy has few natural resources. lacking substantial deposits of iron, coal, or oil. Proven natural gas reserves, mainly in the Po Valley and offshore Adriatic, constitute the country's most important mineral resource. More than 80% of the country's energy sources are imported. The energy sector is highly dependent on imports from abroad: in 2006 the country imported more than 86% of its total energy consumption.
In the last decade, Italy has become one of the world's largest producers of renewable energy, ranking as the world's fifth largest solar energy producer in 2009 and the sixth largest producer of wind power in 2008.Global installed wind power capacity (MW) Global Wind Energy Council 6.2.2008
In 1987, after the Chernobyl disaster, a large majority of Italians passed a referendum opting for phasing out nuclear power. The government responded by closing existing nuclear power plants and completely putting a halt to the national nuclear program. Italy also imports about 16% of its electricity need from France for 6.5 GWe, which makes it the world's biggest importer of electricity. Due to its reliance on expensive fossil fuels and imports, Italians pay approximately 45% more than the EU average for electricity."Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries ." Australian Uranium Association. April 2008