Feed-in Tariffs

Miguel Mendonca is a writer and researcher for the World Future Council, working principally in the area of sustainability policies, and a freelance writer on sustainability issues. He is a visiting fellow at Bristol University, a research associate of the Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems and a consultant to Artists Project Earth.

"Feed-in laws are a vital tool in our armoury in the fight to stabilize our climate, and this comprehensive introduction shows why." Tim Flannery, mammologist, paleontologist, environmental activist and author of The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers "This book, particularly the chapter on Germany, helps us understand how feed-in tariffs can quickly shift the world's electricity generation to renewable sources of energy. We are all indebted to Miguel Mendonca for this timely contribution." Lester R. Brown, President, Earth Policy Institute "This book invites policy makers all over the world to adopt feed-in legislation for their countries or their regions. It will prove to be a very powerful tool when arguing for the right legislative steps towards an environmentally friendly and socially just energy system." Hermann Scheer, member of the German Bundestag (Parliament), President of EUROSOLAR, and winner of the World Solar Prize and the Alternative Nobel Prize "No other policy mechanism has produced more renewable energy more quickly than feed-in tariffs. Mendonca explains why this policy works so well and how others can use it to power a global renewable energy revolution." Paul Gipe, author, advocate and analyst of renewable energy "Humankind is in a race against time to replace our energy systems based on fossil fuels with ones based on renewables. This crucial book shows us how to achieve this. It demonstrates so clearly why a renewables policy based on feed-in tariffs is economically most efficient and effective. This is a 'must read' for policy makers." Stewart Wallis, Executive Director, New Economics Foundation "A mine of information.... Its strength is an almost encyclopaedic coverage of rules and regulations and their history' International Journal of Ambient Energy 'This book can...serve as a good basis for research on policies regarding renewable energies.' European Circular, Newsletter for ICLEI members, partners and friends, 2009. 'A contribution to the debate about feed-in tariffs." Dr. Brenda Boardman, Institute of Physics. "This timely volume shows clearly that feed-in tariffs (FITs) have been by far the most successful amongst the various methods attempted to encourage the development of renewable energy (RE) sources for electricity production. […] This book should send a wake-up call to those who after years of denial about the reality of climate change are now admitting that as fact, but still under the spell of the fossil lobby, can only see carbon trading schemes with no – or ‘aspirational’ – targets. Let’s hope their advisers at least will read this book and start to take action." John Sandeman, International Journal of Environmental Studies

• Foreword * Executive Summary * Introduction * Part I: Renewable Energy: Barriers and Support Schemes * Barriers to Renewable Energy * Renewable Energy Support Schemes * Energy Efficiency: The Essential Partner of Renewables * Part II: Policies Around the World * Germany's Success * Spain's Success * Policies in the US * Policies in Japan * The Developing World (by Dan Bristow) * Part III: Implemention and the Future * Feed-in Tariff Design Options * General Lessons for Effective Implementation * Organizations Aiding Renewable Energy Deployment * The Future: Policy, Technology, Employment and Investment * Bibliography * Index