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US State Legislatures Are Pivoting to Blockchain—Will Energy Follow?
Blockchain's high profile in the news, particularly the billions of dollars pouring into Initial Coin Offering fundraisers (ICOs) and yet more cryptocurrency heists, is pressuring governments and policymakers globally to develop new laws and standards to guide the developing technology.
Policy changes are happening at all levels of government. China has banned ICOs and cryptocurrency exchanges but remains interested in commercializing the underlying technology. South Korea wants to ban cryptocurrency trading altogether. Even in regions where no new laws have passed, existing legislation designed to regulate centralized systems of energy supply or data privacy are barriers to blockchain development and scalability in many parts of the world.
Stakeholder consortia and other groups in the energy sector that see value in the architectures that support cryptocurrencies are working hard to convince utility commissions and local governments to adopt more blockchain-friendly policies. Some worry that too much regulation too soon could scare away developer talent and potentially lucrative new blockchain-based businesses.
In the US, States Are Moving First on Blockchain Regulations
While the US lags behind Europe and Asia Pacific in the number of energy-related blockchain projects, it is making some promising progress in the regulatory space. At least eight states are already tackling issues surrounding legal treatment of blockchain signatures and blockchain data. A few examples:
- In California, Assembly Bill 2658 would formally recognize blockchain signatures and records as legal electronic records, paving the way for smart contracts
- In Florida, House Bill 1357 ensures that blockchain smart contracts are treated with the same legal weight afforded to traditional contracts
- In Arizona, House Bill 2417 adds blockchain databases to the list of electronic records with recognized legal status and enforceability
- In Wyoming, the House approved two bills in 2018 that set standards for when digital currencies can be exempted from securities regulations (House Bill 70) and modifies regulations on financial transactions that would exempt digital currencies and allow exchanges to operate legally in the state (House Bill 19).
Progress Is Being Made in Unusual Places
What's particularly interesting about the above list is the range (geographical and political) of states jostling for position in the market. The next question for the energy sector is how, or if, state-level regulations will translate into real change in these states' energy markets. Utilities have been understandably bearish on blockchain so far, even in traditionally experimental states like New York and California.
Some of the states experimenting with blockchain regulations are usual suspects when it comes to energy market experimentation, but others are not. Will public utility commissions and regulatory authorities in the latter group take cues from their state governments, or will real progress require more pressure from the bottom up? Either way, the pressure will come.
States are often called laboratories of democracy, and they have the potential to become laboratories for blockchain as well. A range of approaches and experiments is the best way to develop best practices and determine a path forward for a rapidly evolving technology. Check out Guidehouse Insights’ upcoming Utility Blockchain Applications report for more insight into blockchain’s growing role in the energy sector.