Green levy exemption for EIIs pushed back until 2018

The government’s planned exemption for energy intensive industries (EIIs) from some of the costs associated with green energy policies has been pushed back until next year. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had initially planned to have the exemption in place for the Renewable Obligation (RO) scheme by April this year but […]

UK’s Renewables Obligation scheme closes

One of the UK Government’s main support mechanisms for large-scale renewable projects has closed to new generating capacity. Under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, suppliers must generate an increasing proportion of their electricity from green sources. Operators are issued RO certificates (ROCs) based on the amount of electricity they generate for a period of 20 […]

NI confirms end to onshore wind subsidies

Subsidies for small-scale onshore wind projects in Northern Ireland are to end this week. Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said 93% of those who responded to the Renewables Obligation closure consultation supported the recommendation to shut the scheme for new small-scale projects. That means those with a capacity of less than 5MW will not receive any […]

BIS launches consultation on energy cost relief for steel industry

The government has launched a consultation on introducing an exemption for the steel sector and other energy intensive industries (EII) from renewable electricity costs. That is expected to help the steel industry save more than £400 million during this parliament, according to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), The government first announced the decision […]

Court backs DECC’s decision on premature solar RO closure

The Court of Appeal has upheld DECC’s decision to close the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme early for large-scale solar projects. Lord Justice Floyd revealed the verdict this week at the Royal Courts of Justice, dismissing an appeal by developers including Solarcentury and Lark Energy. The RO provides financial incentives for renewable energy generation and has […]

DECC invites views on onshore wind grace period

The UK Government is inviting views from developers and stakeholders on its proposed grace period for onshore wind projects. It comes as the government confirmed it will scrap support for new onshore wind projects from April 2016 under the Renewable Obligation (RO) scheme. The proposed grace period will apply to projects that are able to: […]

DECC confirms subsidy closure for large-scale solar

Support for solar power projects above 5MW of capacity will be scrapped from April next year, the Government has confirmed. DECC said it would go ahead with the controversial move despite the majority of respondents opposed to the proposals to stop bigger solar farms from taking part in the existing Renewables Obligation (RO) subsidy scheme. […]

Exclusive Webinar – CfD exemptions: what it means for your business

Are you an intensive energy user? Would you like to know more about the government’s consultation on the eligibility for exemption from upcoming Contracts for Difference (CfD) costs and compensation for the costs of FiT and RO? Join npower and BIS, the government department designing the scheme, to find out more and give BIS your […]

npower fined £125,000 for renewable energy reporting error

Energy giant npower has been fined £125,000 for an error in reporting data related to two renewable energy subsidy schemes. Ofgem said the fine was imposed after npower used incorrect information to calculate the amount of electricity it supplied to customers – under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and Renewables Obligation (RO). As part of the […]

Solar funding cap is “positive” move for cash-strapped times

A cap on funding for solar panel projects which disappointed many has been greeted more practically by one firm in the solar supply chain. Larger solar projects won’t get cash from the renewable funding scheme under new plans announced yesterday. Jerry Hamilton, Director of Renewables and Energy Solutions at Rexel UK said: “In an ideal world, […]