What Energy Sector Experimentation Reveals for Policy and Regulation

This report aims to contribute to the discussion on the use of regulatory sandboxes to promote innovation in the field of net-zero technologies. Several net-zero technologies are still in the demonstration phase. They could greatly benefit from regulatory sandboxes, which would help speed up their development and deployment into the market by lifting unnecessary regulatory burdens. The EU Net-Zero Industry Act establishes a regulatory framework that encourages the use of regulatory sandboxes to support the development of innovative net-zero technologies. Several other EU policy documents indicate the potential of regulatory sandboxes to foster innovation and support the entrance of innovative net-zero technologies into the market, while promoting regulatory learning and development. The report explores the concept of regulatory sandboxes and the potential for their application in the context of the net-zero industry act. Building on work previously published by the JRC, the report contributes to the design of NZIA sandboxes and more generally supports evidence-based policy making in Member States and at EU-level. The report offers an overview of the state of play of regulatory sandbox schemes in the energy sector in the EU, providing an analysis of the current regulatory sandbox projects in the EU Member States, highlighting the net-zero technologies deployed, the actors involved, and the derogations granted. Furthermore, the report provides lessons learned and insights into the design and operation of net-zero regulatory sandboxes.

GANGALE Flavia;  MENGOLINI Anna;  VASILJEVSKA Julija;  COVRIG Laura; 

2026-04-24

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC145146

978-92-68-38859-4 (online),   

1831-9424 (online),   

EUR 40679,    OP KJ-01-26-147-EN-N (online),   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC145146,   

10.2760/6118143 (online),