Implementing the Offtaker of Last Resort

This Government is committed to delivering cleaner energy at least cost, as well as ensuring the security of electricity supply. The Government’s Electricity Market Reform (EMR) programme provides an ambitious package of measures to incentivise the investment needed to replace the UK’s ageing electricity infrastructure with a more diverse and low-carbon energy mix. Up to £110 billion of capital investment is needed from now until the end of the decade.

It is imperative that independent renewable generators are able to access the energy market and help deliver this goal. The Offtaker of Last Resort will be vital to improve the route-to-market options for such generators, which will help unlock a significant pipeline of projects and bring essential competition, diversity and innovation to the market.

The Offtaker of Last Resort (OLR) aims to guarantee eligible renewable CfD generators a route-to-market in such a way that, alongside the competitive allocation of CfDs, reduces the cost of investment in renewable electricity generation, boosts competition, and lowers costs to consumers.

At its simplest, the OLR achieves this by providing renewable CfD generators with a guaranteed, ‘backstop’ route-to-market for their power: a Backstop Power Purchase Agreement (BPPA). This will be at a significant discount to PPAs available in the open market. When combined with the CfD top up price, this will help investors and lenders understand the ‘worst case’ price that the generator will receive for its power, giving them more certainty over the route-to-market risks. This is intended to enable lenders to accept more innovative routes-to-market, allowing generators to compete on a level playing field, and bringing more competition and innovation into the generation market.

The high level policy design for the OLR was outlined in our February Consultation. DECC is now seeking views on the implementation of the OLR, including the proposed processes for applying and allocating BPPAs, refunding offtakers for providing the service, and reviewing the appropriateness of the scheme.

This consultation is being published alongside:

• The policy’s Impact Assessment
• The draft BPPA contract
• The draft Regulations; and
• The draft License Conditions.

DECC is seeking input from as wide a range of interested parties as possible and the consultation includes a series of broad questions to help shape contributions from interested parties. The final secondary legislation, which we aim to have in place by the time of the first CfD auction this autumn, will draw on evidence submitted during the 4 week consultation period. Consultation responses can be sent to olrconsultation@decc.gsi.gov.uk