ЦИФРОВА ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ ЕНЕРГЕТИЧНОГО ПІДПРИЄМНИЦТВА: ВИКЛИКИ ТА МОЖЛИВОСТІ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ

The rapid advancement of digital technologies is fundamentally reshaping the energy sector, giving rise to new forms of entrepreneurship and business models that extend well beyond conventional energy supply. This paper aims to systematically analyse the impact of digital transformation on energy entrepreneurship, identify the key drivers, challenges, and risks associated with this process, and develop conceptual recommendations for the formation of digital strategies in the Ukrainian context.The study employs a combination of logical-theoretical synthesis, comparative analysis, and structural-functional analysis to examine the academic and policy literature on energy sector digitalisation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Institutional analysis is applied to assess the role of regulatory frameworks and state support instruments.The results demonstrate that digital transformation in energy entrepreneurship is driven by the convergence of the energy transition, technological innovation (AI, IoT, blockchain, cloud platforms), market liberalisation, and growing demands for transparency and efficiency. Four principal categories of digital business models are identified and characterised: energy-as-a-service, peer-to-peer energy trading, virtual power plants, and energy management platforms. These models share a common logic centred on data, service orientation, and network effects. The analysis also reveals that digitalisation entails significant challenges, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities, financial barriers for SMEs, regulatory uncertainty, and the risk of widening the digital divide between large corporations and smaller market participants.For Ukraine, digital transformation offers particular opportunities within the context of post-war reconstruction and European integration, enabling a leapfrog transition to a decentralised and resilient energy system. Practical recommendations are formulated for Ukrainian energy entrepreneurs across six strategic directions.The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of digital energy entrepreneurship and provide a conceptual foundation for further empirical research and evidence-based policy design.