Feed-in Tariffs by Miguel Mendonça–a Review

By Paul Gipe

Miguel Mendonça’s Feed-in Tariffs takes his place alongside Craig Morris’ Energy Switch in explaining the success of Feed-In Tariffs to English speakers.

Feed-in Tariffs joins a growing list of books in English explaining the success of Feed Laws in continental Europe.

The number of countries using Feed-In Tariffs is rapidly expanding. Fortunately, Mendonça’s book puts all the major policies in one place where they’re easy to find.

Mendonça’s books is the most detailed account yet of how Feed-In Tariffs have powered continental Europe to world leadership in renewable energy. He takes us on a well-researched tour of the details behind the groundbreaking policy that is sweeping Europe.

Of use to those struggling with where feed-in tariffs stand relative to other renewable energy policies, Mendonça makes it clear that feed-in tariffs are different from subsidies. On page 44, for example, Mendonça notes that when increased the tariff level for solar photovoltaics in 2004 it was able to do away with previous federal subsidies. This subtlety is lost on many people, including some of those who work with feed-in tariffs.

No other policy mechanism has produced more renewable energy more quickly than Feed-In Tariffs. Mendonça explains why this policy works so well and how others can use it to power a global renewable energy revolution.

Feed-in Tariffs: Accelerating the Deployment of Renewable Energy by Miguel Mendonça, World Future Council, Earthscan, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-1-84407-466-2, 164 pages.