In their new article “Practical necessity and legal options for introducing energy regulatory sandboxes in Austria”, Verena Madner and Klaus Wolfsgruber, together with their F.R.E.SCH project partners, shared their insights on the introduction of energy regulatory sandboxes in Austria. The research shows that, as the legal framework is designed for an established energy regime, innovative solutions for the energy transition often encounter barriers. Since rapid changes in the legal framework may involve uncertainties, testing solutions in the exceptional framework of regulatory sandboxes can be a constructive instrument of innovation policy. However, until June 2021, Austrian energy law contained neither an explicit authorisation to grant such exemptions nor custom-made regulatory sandboxes. This paper is the first to investigate the practical need for regulatory sandboxes in Austria (identifying specific fields for experimentation) and evaluate necessary changes of the legal framework, including European law.

The open access article can be accessed (free of charge) via the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2021.101296