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The Energy Regulatory Office is embracing innovation – submit your project by 20 February!

6 February 2026 | Knowledge, News

The energy transition is a key challenge for Poland and the entire European Union today. Progressive climate change and the need for the country to become independent of fossil fuel imports mean that the energy sector requires innovative technological and organisational solutions to ensure stable energy supplies from renewable sources and alternative fuels.

To support the development of such innovations, the President of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) is launching a project that enables creators of innovative solutions to apply for a temporary exemption from certain obligations.

Within the regulatory sandbox, new technologies and organisational models can be tested in real network and market conditions without the risk of violating applicable law.

Why submit a project?

Regulatory sandboxes support the implementation of the European Green Deal and accelerate the energy transition and development of smart, secure and sustainable energy networks.

Beneficiaries can implement their experimental pilot projects under a temporary exemption from certain obligations, enabling them to test innovations in real network and market conditions.

All you need to do is submit an application – and if it is approved, the President of the URE will issue a decision specifying the scope of the exemption and the conditions for its application to your project.

Exemptions may concern::

  • The obligation to submit a network operation and maintenance manual to the President of the URE for approval
  • The obligation to agree network development plans with the President of the URE
  • The conditions for obtaining a licence and conducting licensed activities
  • The obligation to submit tariffs for approval

What can be tested in regulatory sandboxes?

Regulatory sandboxes can be used to implement projects involving innovative technologies, services, products, cooperation models between system users, and ICT and technological solutions.

Their aim is to support energy transition, the development of smart grids, infrastructure and local balancing, as well as increase the efficiency of existing energy infrastructure.

The projects may involve the following, among other things:

  • Energy transition and decarbonisation – integration of renewable energy sources, increasing the share of renewable energy, reducing CO₂ emissions and modernising infrastructure
  • Smart grids – automation and digitalisation of networks, real-time monitoring of energy flows and management of new consumers (e.g. electric vehicles and heat pumps)
  • Energy storage systems – implementation of energy storage facilities, increasing system flexibility, voltage and frequency stabilisation, balancing variable renewables
  • Local balancing and distributed resources – energy communities, microgrids, local energy markets and the aggregation of distributed energy resources
  • Energy efficiency – infrastructure modernisation; energy consumption optimisation; and energy management in buildings and industry
  • ICT solutions – artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain technology for energy trading, cybersecurity, and data exchange platforms

What conditions must a project in the regulatory sandbox meet?

What will the President of the URE consider when reviewing applications?

Innovative solutions that:

  • Support national energy goals – improve energy security and efficiency, as well as economic competitiveness and environmental protection
  • Bring real benefits – to the power system, its users, society and the economy; these benefits should be supported by analyses, forecasts and experiences from other countries
  • Demonstrate the need for an exemption – without which the project could not be implemented at all or would be severely limited, costly or time-consuming
  • Are safe – do not threaten the functioning of the grid, operators’ services or energy supplies

Deadline for submitting applications:

  • By 20 February 2026
  • Electronically: AE:PL-25259-52521-UECUJ-18
  • By post: Urząd Regulacji Energetyki, ul. Towarowa 25a, 00-869 Warszawa

Any questions? Contact us

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Contact us:

Milena Kazanowska – Kędzierska

Milena Kazanowska – Kędzierska

Attorney-at-law / Senior Associate / Energy, Infrastructure, Environment Protection, ESG

+48 539 908 918

m.kazanowska@kochanski.pl