Utilizing renewable energy resources to meet energy needs allows the reduction of environmental problems and the transfer of resources used for energy generation to future generations. The increasing interest of societies in environmental problems has contributed to form the energy policies of the states and investments in energy production by using renewable energy resources have accelerated. Although the costs of clean energy obtained from the renewable energy sources have decreased, it is still an expensive technology compared to fossil fuels. High cost is a factor that reduces the transformation rate. Although the decreasing costs of some renewable energy technologies are very close to the cost of generating energy from fossil fuels, many renewable energy technologies are still not at a competitive level. In the international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union, decisions have been taken to encourage renewable energy generation technologies against the lower cost fossil fuel sources and certain targets have been set. The fact that the capital required to produce clean energy is met only by the states is a factor that reduces the investment rate. The administrations have adopted the method of sharing the financial burden of the energy transformation by providing incentives to individuals and organizations that want to invest in clean energy. States develop different policies for transition to renewable energy sources in energy production, depending on their geographical conditions, economic and technological infrastructure. In this study, the overall situation of renewable energy sources and incentives for electric energy production from these sources in different countries and in Turkey, has been discussed.