Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 and comes into operation on 1st July 2015.
(2) In this Order, “the 2009 Order” means the Renewables Obligation Order (Northern Ireland) 2009(1).
Amendments to Article 27 of the 2009 Order (microgenerators and qualifying new small scale generators)
2. For Article 27 of the 2009 Order (microgenerators) substitute—
“Microgenerators and qualifying new small scale generators
27.—(1) This Article applies to a generating station which—
(a)is an accredited microgenerator,
(b)has not had a total declared net capacity in excess of 50 kilowatts at any time after 31st March 2009, and
(c)is not a qualifying new onshore wind station or a qualifying new hydro station or a qualifying new solar photovoltaic station or a qualifying new anaerobic digestion station.
(2) The amount of electricity to be stated in each NIROC issued in respect of electricity generated—
(a)by a generating station to which this Article applies, and
(b)using—
(i)pre-2013 capacity, or
(ii)2013/14 capacity, or
(iii)2014/15 capacity,
(3) The amount of electricity to be stated in each NIROC issued in respect of electricity generated—
(a)by a generating station to which this Article applies, and
(b)using 2015/16 capacity,
(4) The amount of electricity to be stated in each NIROC issued in respect of electricity generated—
(a)by a generating station to which this Article applies, and
(b)using post-2016 capacity,
(5) In this Article and in Articles 27A to 27C—
“2010/2015 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station” means a generating station which—
generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity,
was accredited after 31st March 2010 and before 1st October 2015, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 250 kilowatts at any time after 31st March 2010;
“2015/2016 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station” means a generating station which—
generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity,
was accredited after 30th September 2015 and before 1st October 2016, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 250 kilowatts at any time after 30th September 2015;
“2016/2017 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station” means a generating station which—
generates electricity from the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity,
was accredited after 30th September 2016, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 250 kilowatts at any time after 30th September 2016;
“qualifying new hydro station” means a hydro generating station which—
was first accredited after 31st March 2010, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 5 megawatts at any time after 31st March 2010;
“qualifying new onshore wind station” means a generating station which—
generates electricity from onshore wind,
was accredited after 31st March 2010, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 5 megawatts at any time after 31st March 2010;
“qualifying new solar photovoltaic station” means—
a 2010/2015 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station,
a 2015/2016 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station, and
a 2016/2017 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station;
“qualifying new anaerobic digestion station”, means a generating station which—
generates electricity from gas formed by the anaerobic digestion of material which is neither sewage nor material in a landfill,
was first accredited after 31st March 2011, and
has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 5 megawatts at any time after 31st March 2011.
(6) This Article is subject to Article 30.”.
Amendments to Article 27A (Qualifying new onshore wind stations and qualifying new solar photovoltaic stations)
3. For Article 27A(3) of the 2009 Order(2) substitute—
“(3) The amount of electricity to be stated in each NIROC to be issued in respect of electricity generated by a qualifying new solar photovoltaic station to which this Article applies is—
(a)in relation to a 2010/2015 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station which has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 50 kilowatts at any time after 31st March 2010, 
(b)in relation to a 2015/2016 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station which has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 50 kilowatts at any time after 30th September 2015, 
(c)in relation to a 2016/2017 qualifying new solar photovoltaic station which has not had a declared net capacity in excess of 50 kilowatts at any time after 30th September 2016, 
(d)in relation to a qualifying new solar photovoltaic station which has had a declared net capacity in excess of 50 kilowatts but not exceeding 250 kilowatts at any time after 31st March 2010, 
Transitional provision
4. Nothing in this Order is to affect—
(a)the issue and revocation of a renewables obligation certificate in respect of electricity generated before 1st October 2015, and anything which falls to be done or determined (whether by the Authority or some other person) in relation to such issue or revocation, under the 2009 Order;
(b)any obligations or requirements imposed on an operator of a generating station or some other person in respect of the period commencing on 1st April 2014 and ending on 30th September 2015, and anything which falls to be done or determined (whether by the generator or some other person) in relation to any such obligations and requirements, under the 2009 Order;
(c)any obligations and functions of the Authority in respect of that period, and anything which falls to be done or determined (whether by the Authority or some other person) in relation to it, under the 2009 Order.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment on 29th June 2015.
J Mills
A senior officer of the
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment