International Experience with Public Benefits Funds: A Focus on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
International Experience with Public Benefits Funds: A Focus on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Renewable energy and energy efficiency investments have long been supported through public policy efforts in a wide array of countries. Public benefits funds (PBFs) are one of several policy tools that might be used to provide this support, and PBFs have become increasingly common in recent years, especially as competition in the electricity industry has increased. While the objectives of different PBF programs are often similar, the structures and means to deliver energy efficiency and renewable energy services through PBFs show much wider variation across countries and U.S. states. This report summarizes international experience with PBF policies that target renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) investments, and identifies lessons learned from these experiences that are applicable to the Chinese context.