Solar Power, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Solar Renewable Energy Certificates

Among the available options for encouraging the increased deployment of renewable electricity, renewables portfolio standards (RPS) have become increasingly popular. The RPS is a relatively new policy mechanism, however, and experience with its use is only beginning to emerge. One key concern that has been voiced is whether RPS policies will offer adequate support to a wide range of renewable energy technologies and applications or whether, alternatively, RPS programs will favour a small number of the currently least-cost forms of renewable energy. This book documents the design of and early experience with state-level RPS programs in the United States that have been specifically tailored to encourage a wider diversity of renewable energy technologies, and solar energy in particular. State-level RPS programs specifically designed to support solar energy have already proven to be an important, albeit somewhat modest, driver for solar energy deployment, and those impacts are projected to continue to build in coming years.