Energy Law

By Prof. Rosmy Joan | NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

Learners enrolled: 1762 | Exam registration: 279

ABOUT THE COURSE:

The Energy Law course covers the legal frameworks for energy, including key legal principles. It explores energy’s role in economic development, international trade and investments. Key topics include competition in energy markets, intellectual property, and the links between energy, human rights, and the environment. The course also focuses on energy security, nuclear law, green hydrogen and renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and biofuels, providing practical insights for the green energy sector. This interdisciplinary course is designed for students, researchers, practitioners, industry professionals, and policymakers, prepares them to tackle legal challenges not just from a regulatory standpoint, but with a holistic understanding of the economic, environmental, and social dimensions that shape today’s energy landscape. As the world moves toward a sustainable future, it is valuable for everyone to have a foundational understanding of energy law and policy in order to contribute effectively to the energy transition and the fight against climate change.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Students, researchers, practitioners, industry professionals and policymakers

PREREQUISITES: Pursuing graduation

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Energy Law practitioners, energy sector industries and companies

Summary

Course Status :	Ongoing
Course Type :	Elective
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Law
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	19 Jan 2026
End Date :	10 Apr 2026
Enrollment Ends :	02 Feb 2026
Exam Registration Ends :	20 Feb 2026
Exam Date :	17 Apr 2026 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Legal Framework for Energy

Week 2: Fundamental Legal Concepts: Permanent Sovereignty Over Natural Resources, State Jurisdiction and International Responsibility

Week 3: Role of Energy in Economic Development and Social Transformation

Week 4: Energy and the WTO, Foreign Direct Investments in Energy

Week 5: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Arbitrations

Week 6: Competition in Energy Markets

Week 7: Energy and Intellectual Property Rights

Week 8: Energy, Human Rights and the Environment

Week 9: Energy Security

Week 10: Nuclear Energy Law in India

Week 11: Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Hydro Power

Week 12: Biofuels, Waste to Energy Initiatives in India, Green Hydrogen, Green Buildings

Books and references

Arghyrios A. Fatouros, An International Legal Framework for Energy, 332 Recueil des cours 355 (2007).
Rudolf Dolzer, International Cooperation in Energy Affairs, 372 Recueil des cours 395 (2014).
Fred Bosselman et al., Energy, Economics and the Environment: Cases and Materials, 3rd Edition (Foundation Press: 2010)
Gabrielle Marceau, The WTO in the Emerging Energy Governance Debate, 5 (3) Global Trade and Customs Journal 83, 83-93 (2010).
Peter D. Cameron, International Energy Investment Law: The Pursuit of Stability, Oxford (2010).
Andrei Konoplyanik and Thomas Walde, Energy Charter Treaty and its Role in International Energy, 24 J. Energy Nat. Resources L. 523 2006
Mirei Isaka, Intellectual Property Rights: The Role of Patents in Renewable Energy Technology Innovation, IRENA (2013)
John H. Barton, IP and Access to Clean Energy Technologies in Developing Countries, ICTSD (2007)
Kaisa Huhta Conceptualising Energy Justice in the Context of Human Rights Law, Nordic Journal of Human Rights, 41:4, 378-392 (2023)
Carlo Drago and Andrea Gatto, Policy, regulation effectiveness, and sustainability in the energy sector: A worldwide interval-based composite indicator, 167 Energy Policy (2022)
Marilyn A. Brown and Benjamin K. Sovacool, Climate Change and Global Energy Security, Technology and Policy Options (2011).
Karen Makuch, Environmental and Energy Law, Wiley-Blackwell (2012).
Giuseppe Bellantuono, Lee Godden, Hanri Mostert, Hannah Wiseman and Hao Zhang, Handbook of Energy Law in the Low Carbon Transition, De Gruyter, 2023
Gadi Rothenberg, Handbook of Energy, Environment, and the Circular Economy Volume 1: From Fossil Fuels to Sustainable Business Models, WSP, 2024
Douglas Arent, Our Renewable Energy Future the Remarkable Story of How Renewable Energy Will Become the Basis for Our Lives, WSP, 2024
John R Fanchi, The Energy Transition and the Struggle for Global Governance, WSP, 2024

Instructor bio

Prof. Rosmy Joan

NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

Dr. Rosmy Joan specializes in International Economic Law and currently serves as an Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for International Trade and Business Law at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.

Dr. Joan holds B.A. LL.B (Hons.) degree from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala with University First Rank and LL.M in Corporate Laws and International Trade Law from O.P. Jindal Global University with Gold Medal. She was a Savitri Jindal Merit cum Means Graduate Scholar during the Master’s Programme and was awarded the First Position in Dean’s List Award consecutively for two years. During the Masters Programme, she has also completed the Harvard Law School Course on International Negotiation with 100% marks. She holds her doctoral degree in International Investment Law and Policy from the National Law University, Jodhpur.

Dr. Joan has won many accolades of national and international repute. Acknowledging her outstanding academic excellence, the Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial Trust, Mumbai awarded her prestigious Nani A. Palkhivala Gold Medal in 2013. In 2015, The Hague Academy of International Law, The Netherlands honoured her with their distinguished The City of the Hague Scholarship for attending the Summer Session on Private International Law at the Peace Palace, The Hague, The Netherlands. Her alma mater, O. P. Jindal Global University honoured her with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Exemplary Accomplishments in Professional Work in 2019. She was selected as a Host Faculty under the Fulbright-Nehru Specialist Programme and hosted Prof. Jacqueline Lang Weaver, A. A. White Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas in February 2020 in Energy Law. Dr. Joan has been awarded the prestigious Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellowship for Academicians in the area of Energy Law (2019-20). Dr. Joan also won the prestigious grant by the International Atomic Energy Agency (ICNL 2022). Dr. Joan is a frequent speaker at venues around the world and writes extensively on the issues in public and private laws. Dr. Joan has taught at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels, and has been specializing in energy law education since 2015.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: April 17, 2026 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Madras .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team

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