Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs): a catalyst for Wisconsin renewable energy growth?
Posted March 25, 2010
By Gary Radloff
Director of Midwest Energy Policy Analysis
Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative
The policy tool known as Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs), or sometimes called Feed-In Tariffs (FiTs), has proven, across the globe, to expedite the development of renewable energy generation. Both the United States overall, and Wisconsin specifically, may struggle to exceed, or at least maintain, a net of 10 percent renewable electricity as a portion of total energy generation using existing policies. Germany has realized the most success with this policy tool and has utilized it for the longest period of time. Between 2000 and 2008, Germany’s national share of renewable electricity generation more than doubled from 6.3% to 15.1% with the ARTs being a critical driver. Could Wisconsin experience similar renewable energy generation success with some variation of the ARTs policy tool?
This paper will first summarize of how ARTS function and describe some of their features. It will also address some concerns raised regarding how the policy tool may work in the U.S. Finally, it will consider the interplay of the ARTs and RPS.
