This book is a sociological account of the historical trajectory of
feed-in tariffs (FITs) as an instrument for the promotion of renewable
energy in Europe. Chapters analyse the emergence and transformations of
feed-in tariffs as part of the policy arsenal developed to encourage the
creation of markets for RES-E in Europe. The authors explore evolving
conceptions of renewable energy policy at the intersection between
environmental objectives, technological change and the ambition to
liberalise the internal electricity market. They draw conclusions on the
relationships between markets and policy-making as it is instituted in
the European Union, and on the interplay between the implementation of a
European vision on energy and national politics. Distinctive in both its
approach and its methods the books aim is not to discuss the design of
feed-in tariffs and their evolution, nor is it to assess their
efficiency or fairness. Instead, the authors seek to understand what
makes feed-in tariffs what they are, and how this has changed over time.