Alliance for Renewable Energy

Alliance for Renewable Energy (ARE), according to its website, has a focus on North America and "is an alliance of policymakers, renewable energy experts, citizens, research institutions, and large and small businesses that came together in the Spring of 2008. Our goal is to rapidly increase the shift from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. Our strategy is to create awareness of and build support for 'the world's most effective renewable energy policies' - Feed-In Tariffs (FITs)."(REPs).

Feed-In Tariffs are also known as Renewable Energy Payments, Advanced Renewable Tariffs, Feed Laws, or Renewable Tariffs.

Overview
Since 1991, Germany, Spain, Denmark, and many other nations, states, and provinces, have pioneered legislation that have "proven to promote the fastest, cheapest, and widest growth of renewable energy." Producers of renewable energy are paid a premium rate or "tariff" for each kilowatt of energy they "feed into" the grid.

The fundamental principles of these policies
Their website states:
 * "Everyone who produces renewable energy is guaranteed that they can connect to the power grid and sell their energy to their utility company. There is no limit to the amount of renewable energy that can be sold to utility companies."
 * "Utility companies sign 15-20 year contracts with all their renewable energy producers. All contracts are transparent and open for inspection."
 * "The contracts include long-term agreed upon prices that the utility companies will pay for the energy they buy. The prices are set high enough to be an incentive to new producers and for existing producers to expand their production capacities. Prices vary according to the source of the energy (i.e, sun, wind, water, bio-mass, etc.) and the size of the energy-producing installation."
 * "The utility companies can recoup their increased costs of paying higher prices for renewable energy by spreading these costs among all their customers."
 * "An Independent Review Board is established by the government that periodically sets the prices and terms for new contracts."

Who supports feed-in tariffs?
Their website quotes Representative Bill Delahunt (D-Mass), "The single most important step we can take in order to promote a rapid growth of renewable energy in the United States is to adopt our own version of the German feed-in tariff. In my travels to Germany I have been amazed at how this very simple policy has created an explosion of grassroots interest in the use of solar and wind energy. It is time to bring this renewable energy revolution to the United States."

Peter Coyote, actor/author says, "Germany's Feed-in Tariff Renewable Energy Policy approach makes strategic sense in North America. This is especially true if we want a powerful tool to address rapid climate disruption and substantial green job creation at the same time."

Non-profit/Civil society organizations:
 * Citizens Climate Lobby
 * David Suzuki Foundation
 * Earth Policy Institute, (Lester Brown)
 * Greenpeace USA
 * Worldwatch Institute

Political parties:
 * Green Party of Canada
 * Manitoba Liberal Party
 * The New Democratic Party of Canada
 * Ontario Liberal Party
 * Ontario Green Party

Contact details
44 N. Prospect Street Amherst, MA 01002 Phone: 413-549-8118 Fax: 413-256-8871 Web: http://www.allianceforrenewableenergy.org

Related SourceWatch articles

 * American Council on Renewable Energy
 * Feed-in tariff
 * Google Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal initiative
 * Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition
 * Renewable energy
 * Renewable portfolio standard