Ensuring biomass affordability and value-for-money under the Renewables Obligation

This consultation is now closed. The Government would like to thank respondents for their contributions to the consultation. Details of the Government’s decisions on biomass sustainability criteria (Part A) were published on 22 August and can be found at the top of the page.

Details of the Government’s decisions on biomass affordability (Part B) are set out in the Government response which was was published on 18 December 2012 and can also be found above.

The consultation invited views on the proposed improvements to the biomass sustainability criteria set under the Renewables Obligation (RO) and proposed measures to ensure affordability and value-for-money.

Reflecting the decisions in the Government Response, Ofgem is updating its Guidance to Generators on biomass sustainability reporting. Ofgem would like to share the updated draft guidance with stakeholders for comments, well ahead of the proposed implementation date of 1st April for the changes. We have therefore published an illustrative draft of the regulations to enact these changes to enable stakeholders to comment on the Ofgem guidelines more effectively. This is provided for information only.

As part of the Biomass Value for money and affordability consultation, and specifically in the context of the proposal to limit dedicated biomass, respondents raised a number of queries in regards to the methodology used to calculate the relative cost effectiveness of biomass technologies presented in the Bioenergy Strategy. This note aims to address the issues raised, and test our conclusions, by building on the cost effectiveness calculation included in the Bioenergy Strategy.

Tel: 0300 068 6912 Email: biomass@decc.gsi.gov.uk Post: Biomass Sustainability and Affordability Consultation

Department of Energy and Climate Change Area 4A

3 Whitehall Place

London

SW1A 2AW