Renewable energy is a focal point of discussion in the European Union, as clean production technologies contribute to all three aims of energy policy (security, competitiveness, and sustainability). This paper focuses on an empirical assessment of feed-in tariff and quota obligation policies, as well as their policy design elements, applied to solar photovoltaic energy in the European Union over the period 2000-2014. The results indicate that only feed-in tariff policy has significant impacts in terms of installed photovoltaic capacity. However, its main policy design elements (tariff size and contract duration) have a positive but not significant influence on the development of this clean production technology. Policy makers should consider the importance of reducing regulatory uncertainty about these parameters. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.