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 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, including continuing legal education seminars, treatises, law reviews, and graduate courses. 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.
Africa
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 has a regulatory body over energy, the Energy Commission.
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.
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.
Australia
Energy is big business in Australia. The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association represents 98% of the oil and gas producers in Australia.
Canada
Canada has an extensive energy law, both through the federation and the provinces, especially Alberta. These include: Alternative Fuels Act ( 1995, c. 20 ) 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 Oil and Gas Operations Act ( R.S., 1985, c. O-7 ) Canada Petroleum Resources Act ( 1985, c. 36 (2nd Supp.) ) National Energy Board Act ( R.S., 1985, c. N-7 ) Electricity and Gas Inspection Act ( R.S., 1985, c. E-4 )
There is some academic interest in the energy law of Canada, with looseleaf periodical services, monographs, and consultation with lawyers specializing in that practice, available.
The Supreme Court of Canada has had issued some Canadian energy case law.
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.
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. 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.