Renewable Energy Payments in the US: Prospects and Perspectives

On June 18, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute hosted a lunch briefing that explored the potential for renewable energy payment legislation within the US electricity sector. Renewable energy payments (also known as feed-in tariffs in Europe and elsewhere) guarantee smaller renewable energy technologies a connection to the electricity grid, and provide a premium rate to these investors designed to generate a reasonable profit over a long term. Speakers for this event included:

* Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA), Handout - Summary of Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act (pdf)

* Wilson Rickerson, Rickerson Energy Strategies Presentation (pdf)

* Janet Sawin, Worldwatch Institute Presentation (pdf)

* Dr. Anthony White, Climate Change Capital Presentation (pdf)


Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) began the event by discussing his forthcoming bill, The Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act, which incorporates the renewable energy payment for these industries that enter the US electricity market. The briefing gave an overview about first experiences with such legislation on the US state level, as well as experiences in Europe. Renewable energy payment legislation in Germany has created rapid growth in the renewable energy industries since 1990, causing the nation to become the world’s largest market for photovoltaic systems and wind energy. By the end of 2007, 46 countries and federal states, including 18 of the 27 EU member-states, had introduced renewable energy payment legislation as a major incentive to deploy renewable energy.

Click here for a policy update on feed-in tariffs and renewable energy in the United States.

Audio recording of Briefing and Q&A (mp3)