German Renewable Energy Transition Project: Legal Preconditions for Implementation in Russia

This article examines the German energy transition project in the experimental region of Ahrweiler, which aims to establish an energy system based on renewable energy sources. The project is founded on the idea of a “bottom-up” energy transition, driven by local self-government bodies with the involvement of private investments. The author analyzes whether Russian legal regulations allow for the development of renewable energy in Russia following the German project’s scenario. The article discusses the following issues: the existence of legal prerequisites for the decentralization of the energy system in Russia, the legal regulation of the powers of local self-government bodies and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the energy sector, as well as existing legal models for attracting private investments in renewable energy sources. The author concludes that the implementation of the project under Russian legal conditions appears to be feasible.