Solar Power
More energy from the sun falls on the earth in one hour than is used by the world in one year. This substantial, renewable resource provides countries with an effective means of generating electricity and providing heating and cooling, and lighting. From small to large scale, solar energy can be harnessed through a variety of technologies and building design approaches that save energy, minimize environmental impacts and reduce operational costs. Countries have employed an array of mandates, incentives and deployment programs to promote the use of solar power. This page provides access to technical resources that policymakers can use to inform the design and implementation of policies and programs to advance deployment of solar power technologies.
Before you begin your search for solar policy resources, you can learn more about solar power development by reading our policy brief on solar power, which outlines good practices, provides design considerations, and shares examples of solar power in action in various countries.
Resources CESC
Deployment Data
Policy Data
Publication
2010 Solar Technologies Market Report
Sources:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date:
1 November 2011
Publication
2010 Clean Energy Investments: Project Summaries
Sources:
Asian Development Bank
Date:
1 June 2011
Publication
Tools and Websites
Training Materials
2010 China-United States Renewable Energy Grid Integration Workshop (Website)
Sources:
The China Sustainable Energy Program
Deployment Data
Publication
2009 Reference Case Scenario: Canadian Energy Demand and Supply to 2020
Sources:
National Energy Board of Canada
Date:
1 July 2009
Publication
1.0 Primer on Rate Design For Residential Distributed Generation
Sources:
Edison Electric Institute
Date:
1 February 2016
Deployment Data
Publication
2011 Technology Map of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)
Sources:
European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Energy and Transport
Date:
1 January 2011
Publication
A Guidebook on Grid Interconnection and Islanded Operation of Mini-Grid Power Systems Up to 200 kW
Sources:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Schatz Energy Research Center
Date:
1 April 2013
Publication
A Guide to Community Solar: Utility, Private, and Non-Profit Project Development
Sources:
United States Department of Energy
United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development
Keyes and Fox
Stoel Rives
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Date:
1 November 2010
Publication
A Growing and Evolving Market for Off-grid Lighting Market Presence of Off-Grid Lighting Products in the Kenyan Towns of Kericho, Kapkugerwet (Brooke), and Talek
Sources:
World Bank
Date:
31 January 2013
Policy Data
Publication
A Generalized Approach to Assessing the Rate Impacts of Net Energy Metering
Sources:
Solar America Board for Codes and Standards
Date:
1 January 2012
Publication
Tools and Websites
Training Materials
A Farmer's Guide to Energy Self Reliance: How to Decrease Energy Consumption and Increase Profits
Sources:
Vermont Law School: Institute for Energy and the Environment
Ag Energy Solutions
Date:
1 September 2008
Publication
A Review of Emerging State Finance Tools to Advance Solar Generation
Sources:
CleanEnergy States Alliance
Date:
1 March 2010
Publication
A Review of Alternative Rate Design: Industry Experience with Time-Based and Demand Charge Rates for Mass-Market Consumers
Sources:
Rocky Mountain Institute
Date:
1 May 2016
Tools and Websites
A Regulator’s Guidebook: Calculating the Benefits and Costs of Distributed Solar Generation
Sources:
Interstate Renewable Energy Council
Inc.
Rábago Energy LLC.
Date:
1 March 2014
Publication
A Reformed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – Including new Mechanisms for Sustainable Development
Sources:
United Nations
Date:
1 January 2008
Deployment Data
Policy Data
Publication
A Policymaker's Guide to Feed-In Tariff Policy Design
Sources:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
United States Department of State
E3 Analytics
Date:
1 July 2010
Publication
A Policy Framework for Designing Distributed Generation Tariffs
Sources:
Edison Electric Institute
Date:
1 December 2013
Deployment Data
Publication
A New Scheme for the Promotion of Renewable Energies in Developing Countries: The Renewable Energy Regulated Purchase Tariff
Sources:
European Commission
Alliance for Rural Electrification
PhotoVoltaic Technology Platform