Feed-in tariffs, often called Advanced Renewable Tariffs or Renewable Energy Payments in North America, have been demonstrated to be the most effective policy mechanism that a country can use to foster the rapid development of renewable energy systems. Close to two-thirds of the world's wind energy and half of the solar PV systems have been installed as a result of these innovative polices.
This fact sheet (revised in December 2010), the first in the Making Renewable Energy a Priority series, introduces the reader to the key elements of feed-in tariffs and the ways in which they function to achieve rapid renewable energy deployment.
A primer is also available.
See also Primer 2: Storing Renewable Power
