Energy policies may lead to important industrial outcomes. This paper investigates the impacts of energy policies on industry growth in renewable energy. Research tools employed include the commercialization process, value chain analysis, and empirical case studies. Different renewable energy technologies and geographical regions are considered covering over 50% of the world markets of the technology fields considered. Market deployment measures that enhance home markets of domestic industries will in most cases lead to growing industrial activities. Irrespective of the domestic market situation, pure investment or R&D support alone to already strong industries in related fields may be powerful to help with diversification into sustainable energy business. Several exogenous factors such as timing, size factors, geography, etc. will influence both the industrial and policy positioning in practice. The results indicate that there are increased industrial opportunities in renewable energy to be captured not only by large countries or through large public resources, but also smaller countries can gain success through clever policies and optimal managing of the commercialization process. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.