The Renewables Obligation Order 2015

1.—(1) In this Schedule—

“2009/11 dedicated biomass station” means a generating station which has, in any month after March 2009 and before November 2011, generated electricity—

(a)

only from biomass, and

(b)

in respect of which ROCs were issued for all or part of the electricity so generated during that month;

“AD” means electricity generated from gas formed by the anaerobic digestion of material which is neither sewage nor material in a landfill;

“advanced gasification/pyrolysis” means electricity generated from an advanced fuel which—

(a)

in the case of a gaseous fuel, has a gross calorific value of at least 4 megajoules per metre cubed at 25 degrees Celsius and 0.1 megapascals when measured at the inlet to the generating station, and

(b)

in the case of a liquid fuel, has a gross calorific value of at least 10 megajoules per kilogram at 25 degrees Celsius and 0.1 megapascals when measured at the inlet to the generating station;

“building mounted solar PV” means electricity generated from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity by equipment not installed on the ground either—

(a)

directly, or

(b)

on a frame, plinth or other structure installed—

(i)

on the ground, and

(ii)

wholly or mainly for the purpose of supporting that equipment;

“closed landfill gas” means electricity generated—

(a)

from landfill gas (other than electricity generated using the heat from a turbine or engine), and

(b)

in a month in which the generating station generates electricity only from gas formed by the digestion of material in a landfill which has finally ceased to accept waste for disposal;

“co-firing of regular bioliquid” means electricity generated from regular bioliquid burned in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is less than 100% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month, and

(b)

the generating station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“co-firing of regular bioliquid with CHP” means electricity generated from regular bioliquid burned by a qualifying CHP station in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is less than 100% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month,

(b)

the station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources, and

(c)

the fossil fuel and regular bioliquid have been burned in separate combustion units;

“dedicated biomass” means electricity generated from regular bioliquid or regular biomass by a generating station—

(a)

which is not a relevant fossil fuel station, and

(b)

in a month in which it generates electricity only from biomass;

“dedicated biomass with CHP” means electricity generated from regular bioliquid or regular biomass by a qualifying CHP station—

(a)

which is not a relevant fossil fuel station, and

(b)

in a month in which it generates electricity only from biomass;

“dedicated energy crops” means electricity generated from energy crops by a generating station—

(a)

which is not a relevant fossil fuel station, and

(b)

in a month in which the station generates electricity only from energy crops or only from biomass;

“energy from waste with CHP” means electricity generated from the combustion of waste (other than an advanced fuel or a fuel produced by means of anaerobic digestion) in a qualifying CHP station in a month in which the station generates electricity only from renewable sources and those renewable sources include waste which is not biomass;

“geopressure” means electricity generated using naturally occurring subterranean pressure;

“geothermal” means electricity generated using naturally occurring subterranean heat;

“ground mounted solar PV” means electricity generated from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity by equipment installed on the ground either—

(a)

directly, or

(b)

on a frame, plinth or other structure installed—

(i)

on the ground, and

(ii)

wholly or mainly for the purpose of supporting that equipment;

“high-range co-firing” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is at least 85% but is less than 100% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month, and

(b)

the generating station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“high-range co-firing with CHP” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned by a qualifying CHP station in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is at least 85% but is less than 100% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month,

(b)

the station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources, and

(c)

the fossil fuel has been burned in a separate combustion unit from the energy crops or regular biomass;

“hydroelectric” means electricity generated by a hydro generating station;

“landfill gas heat recovery” means electricity generated using the heat from a turbine or engine, where that turbine or engine is generating electricity from landfill gas;

“low-range co-firing” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is less than 50% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month, and

(b)

the generating station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“low-range co-firing with CHP” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned by a qualifying CHP station in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is less than 50% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month,

(b)

the station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources, and

(c)

the fossil fuel has been burned in a separate combustion unit from the energy crops or regular biomass;

“mid-range co-firing” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is at least 50% but is less than 85% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month, and

(b)

the generating station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“mid-range co-firing with CHP” means electricity generated from energy crops or regular biomass burned by a qualifying CHP station in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

the energy content of the biomass burned in that combustion unit is at least 50% but is less than 85% of the energy content of all of the energy sources burned in that combustion unit during that month,

(b)

the station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources, and

(c)

the fossil fuel has been burned in a separate combustion unit from the energy crops or regular biomass;

“offshore wind” means electricity generated from wind by a generating station that is offshore;

“onshore wind” means electricity generated from wind by a generating station that is not offshore;

“regular bioliquid” means bioliquid other than—

(a)

advanced fuel,

(b)

fuel produced by means of anaerobic digestion,

(c)

energy crops;

“regular biomass” means biomass other than—

(a)

advanced fuel,

(b)

fuel produced by means of anaerobic digestion,

(c)

bioliquid,

(d)

energy crops,

(e)

landfill gas,

(f)

sewage gas;

“relevant fossil fuel CHP station” means a relevant fossil fuel station which is a qualifying CHP station;

“relevant fossil fuel station” means—

(a)

a generating station—

(i)

which is not a 2009/11 dedicated biomass station, and

(ii)

which has, in any 6 month period since it was first commissioned, generated electricity from fossil fuel, where the energy content of the fossil fuel was more than 15% of the energy content of all of the energy sources used by the station to generate electricity during that 6 month period, or

(b)

a generating station—

(i)

which is a 2009/11 dedicated biomass station, and

(ii)

which has, in any 6 month period since 1st November 2011, generated electricity from fossil fuel, where the energy content of the fossil fuel was more than 15% of the energy content of all of the energy sources used by the station to generate electricity during that 6 month period;

“solar photovoltaic” means electricity generated from the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity;

“standard gasification/pyrolysis” means electricity generated from an advanced fuel which—

(a)

in the case of a gaseous fuel, has a gross calorific value which is at least 2 megajoules per metre cubed but is less than 4 megajoules per metre cubed at 25 degrees Celsius and 0.1 megapascals when measured at the inlet to the generating station, and

(b)

in the case of a liquid fuel, has a gross calorific value which is less than 10 megajoules per kilogram at 25 degrees Celsius and 0.1 megapascals when measured at the inlet to the generating station;

“station conversion” means electricity generated—

(a)

from regular bioliquids, energy crops or regular biomass,

(b)

by a relevant fossil fuel station, and

(c)

in a month in which the station generates electricity only from biomass or only from energy crops;

“station conversion with CHP” means electricity generated—

(a)

from regular bioliquids, energy crops or regular biomass,

(b)

by a relevant fossil fuel CHP station, and

(c)

in a month in which the station generates electricity only from biomass or only from energy crops;

“tidal impoundment” means electricity generated by a generating station driven by the release of water impounded behind a barrier using the difference in tidal levels where the station has a declared net capacity of less than 1 gigawatt;

“tidal stream” means electricity generated from the capture of the energy created from the motion of naturally occurring tidal currents in water;

“unit conversion” means electricity generated from regular bioliquids, energy crops or regular biomass burned in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

that combustion unit burns only biomass or burns only energy crops, and

(b)

the generating station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“unit conversion with CHP” means electricity generated from regular bioliquids, energy crops or regular biomass burned by a qualifying CHP station in a combustion unit in a month in which—

(a)

that combustion unit burns only biomass or burns only energy crops, and

(b)

the station generates electricity partly from fossil fuel and partly from renewable sources;

“wave” means electricity generated from the capture of the energy created from the motion of naturally occurring waves on water.

(2) For the purposes of this Schedule—

(a) fossil fuel does not include waste which is a renewable source;

(b) in determining how electricity has been generated, no account is to be taken of any fossil fuel or waste which a generating station uses for permitted ancillary purposes;

(c) in determining the energy content of the energy sources used by a generating station to generate electricity, no account is to be taken of any fossil fuel or waste which the station uses for permitted ancillary purposes; and

(d) in determining the energy content of the energy sources burned in a combustion unit, no account is to be taken of any fossil fuel or waste which is used in that combustion unit for permitted ancillary purposes.