United States Export Council for Renewable Energy (US/ECRE), a trade group representing six United States renewable energy trade organizations, commissioned the preparation of this Manual in order to assist energy policy makers in formulating policies designed to enable private-sector investment in renewable energy generation facilities. The objective of the Manual is to improve the climate for investment in a nation’s renewable energy sector by consolidating information about the renewable resources, identifying barriers to private-sector investment in renewable technologies and suggesting how these barriers may be bridged.
US/ECRE invites readers to contribute their comments regarding the content of this Manual. The policy recommendations contained in this document are based on the experience and research of the authors. Incorporation of a wide range of experiences from around the globe will substantially improve its quality, accuracy and effectiveness.
The Manual is intended for use by a broad range of energy policy strategists - officials in the executive and legislative branches of government, utilities and other agencies or businesses with a role in formulating energy policy. Mindful that the development of energy policy always involves weighing competing considerations, policy strategies in the Manual are set forth in context of narratives or discussions designed to provide the reader with insight into the underpinning considerations so that generalized policy strategies may be more easily adapted to local circumstances. In evaluating whether to include a given analysis or strategy, the authors have elected to focus on those issues which may be determinative of whether a developer or investor will opt to invest in renewable resources in a country. Policy strategists may find that by asking whether a proposed energy policy promotes or discourages investment is a sound way to evaluate whether that policy will produce the desired effect.
Due to the rapid legal, technical and economic developments now occurring in the renewable energy industry around the world, US/ECRE recognizes the need of a sourcebook that provides energy policy specialists with up-to-date policy guidelines. For that reason, this Manual is published in a single, loose-leaf volume that can be updated on a regularized basis.
