Sustainable distributed energy resources: law and policy (Oxford University Press, 2026)

The IBA’s Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL) is advised by the Academic Advisory Group (AAG), a group of leading academics from around the world. Every two years, the AAG publishes a book about a key topic of interest to the entire Section. This year’s book entitled Sustainable distributed energy resources: law and policy focuses on the legal issues involved with the design, financing and implementation of distributed energy resources (DERs) projects and infrastructure. DERs—including solar panels, community microgrids, and residential battery storage—are reshaping the energy landscape. DER technologies challenge the traditional centralized power model, offering greater potential for the decarbonisation, decentralisation, digitisation and democratisation of electricity systems associated with the ongoing global energy transition. Yet, despite their significant energy security and clean energy transition potential, the design, financing and implementation of DER projects can pose complex economic, environmental, social, and governance risks, including land tenure concerns, privacy and cybersecurity threats, legal liability and protracted disputes. Electricity laws and policies—often drafted decades ago under a centralized paradigm and prior to the rapid emergence of DERs—are increasingly unable to keep pace with the legal and sustainability challenges of integrating DER technologies into the grid. Understanding how regulatory systems are, and can better respond to the sustainability challenges of DERs will help define a clearer path going forward. In May 2026, the AAG presented the key findings of the book at SEERIL’s Biennial Conference in Brussels. With presentations from some of the expert contributors to the book, the AAG’s panel session reflected upon innovative legal drafting, contract negotiation and policymaking approaches needed to address the wide range of sustainability questions posed by DER design and implementation.