Overcoming Regulatory and Socio-Economic Barriers to Energy System Digitalization: Insights from the SYNERGIES Project

This paper investigates the regulatory and socioeconomic barriers (RSEB) towards the digitalization of energy systems in the European Union, drawing on evidence from the SYNERGIES project. A mixed-methods approach integrates legal and policy analysis, a structured stakeholder survey, and semistructured interviews across three demonstration sites to identify institutional, behavioral, and technical constraints affecting data sharing and the uptake of digital tools. Unlike prior diagnostic studies, the paper introduces a novel, participatory framework that links barrier identification with stakeholder validation and technical implementation. The analysis reveals fragmented regulatory frameworks, low digital readiness, trust deficits, and organizational inertia as key challenges. In response, the SYNERGIES project introduces a federated Energy Data Space architecture that incorporates decentralized data governance, smart contracts for automated compliance, semantic interoperability, and usercentric design features. These solutions are validated through a series of Living Lab activities, which assess usability, institutional alignment, and stakeholder engagement across diverse sociotechnical contexts. The findings demonstrate that overcoming RSEB requires the alignment of legal frameworks, technical architecture, and participatory implementation. The paper offers a validated basis for developing inclusive, secure, and regulationaware digital energy systems.