Electricity Feed Laws & Feed-in Tariffs
While not exhaustive, this site contains an extensive collection of articles on Feed-in Tariffs, Advanced Renewable Tariffs, Renewable Energy Payments, and what some Americans are calling CLEAN contracts. Learn more about feed-in tariffs and how they have been successful in Europe, and how they can benefit North Americans.
What are Feed-in Tariffs?
Feed-in tariffs are simply payments per kilowatt-hour for electricity generated by a renewable resource. In North America this simple idea is known by many different names: Electricity Feed Laws, Feed-in Laws, Feed-in Tariffs (FITs), Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs), Renewable Tariffs, Renewable Energy Payments, and more recently CLEAN (for Clean Local Energy Accessible Now) contracts. Regardless of the name, they are the world’s most successful policy mechanism for stimulating the rapid development of renewable energy.
Feed-in tariffs are also the most egalitarian method for determining where, when, and how much renewable generating capacity will be installed. Renewable Tariffs enable homeowners, farmers, cooperatives, and First Nations (Native North Americans) to participate on an equal footing with large commercial developers of renewable energy.
Electricity Feed Laws permit the interconnection of renewable sources of electricity with the electric-utility network and at the same time specify how much the renewable generator is paid for their electricity and over how long a period.
Electricity Feed Laws have been widely used in Europe, most notably in Germany, France, and Spain.
Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs) are the modern version of Electricity Feed Laws. ARTs differ from simpler feed-in tariffs in several important ways. Most importantly, ARTs are differentiated by technology, application, project size, or resource intensity. There is one price for wind energy, another price for solar, and so on. Tariffs within each technology can also be differentiated by project size or, in the case of wind and solar energy, by the productivity of the resource. Tariffs for new projects are also subject to periodic review to determine if the tariffs are sufficiently robust to meet the targets desired in the time allotted.
What are Tariffs?
Tariffs are the price paid per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed, or in this case, generated. The term is commonly used in North America’s electric utility industry. The term is also commonly used in Europe. Tariffs are not taxes nor in this context customs duties on goods crossing international borders.
Renewable Electricity Generation Policy Mechanisms for the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
By
Paul Gipe
Related Files eeca_renewable_energy_policy_mechanism_ver_06-pdf
Renewable Energy Policy Mechanisms
By
Paul Gipe
Renewable Tariffs have proven the most successful mechanism for stimulating investment in renewable electricity generation worldwide. Renewable Tariffs have resulted in more installed generating capacity and more robust competition among manufacturers and have stimulated more
European Union Policy on Support Schemes for Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources
By
Volkmar Lauber
Related Files lauber_-_eu_policy_on_support_schemes_for_electricity_from_renewable_energy_sources_-_e_e_-_18_oct_05-pdf
Advanced Renewable Tariffs & Electricity Feed Laws
By
Paul Gipe
Since 1991 when Germany introduced its ground-breaking Electricity Feed Law, the country has installed more than 16,000 MW of …
Trends Toward & Development of Renewable Energy Tariffs (Electricity Feed Laws) in North America
By
Paul Gipe
February, 2004: The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) launches its campaign for Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs) in Canada’s most …
Are Green Electricity Certificates the Way Forward
By
David Toke
Related Files davidtokearegreenelectricitycertificatesthewayforaward-pdf