The renewables obligation
3.—(1) The renewables obligation is that, subject to Articles 8, 9 and 10, each designated electricity supplier shall before each specified day produce to the Authority evidence showing –
(a)that he has supplied to customers in Northern Ireland during the obligation period to which the specified day relates such amount of electricity generated from eligible renewable sources as is determined under Article 7; or
(b)that another electricity supplier has done so (or that two or more others have done so); or
(c)that, between them, they have done so.
(2) The evidence referred to in paragraph (1) is NIROCs provided that such NIROCs relate to electricity generated from eligible renewable sources.
(3) A NIROC referred to in paragraph (2) shall be regarded as produced to the Authority as the evidence or part of the evidence required under paragraph (1) in respect of an obligation period where before the specified day relating to that period the Authority receives from the designated electricity supplier which holds the NIROC a notification in writing identifying the NIROC to be produced for that purpose and giving the NIROC identifier (as defined in paragraph 2 of Schedule 3).
(4) Without prejudice to paragraph (3), the Authority may draw up procedural guidelines for the production of NIROCs as the evidence or part of the evidence required under paragraph (1).
(5) An electricity supplier has a renewables obligation in respect of an obligation period if he supplies electricity in Northern Ireland at any time during that period regardless of whether he supplies electricity in Northern Ireland for the whole of that period.