The renewable energy sector has experienced an unprecedented boom over the past fifteen years. This research has shown that the reasons for this include the role that renewable energy plays in ensuring security of supply, addressing climate change, sustainably meeting rising energy demand, promoting economic growth and industrial policy issues.

Renewable energy laws have played a key role in this growth by providing regulatory support mechanisms such as research and development funding, feed-in tariffs, competitive tendering, renewable portfolio standards and tax incentives to assist with the development, commercialisation and accelerated deployment of new forms of renewable energy generation. This research is the first comparative analysis of the national framework legislation governing or promoting renewable electricity generation in all applicable countries.