The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations 2018

Schemes for listing approved sustainable fuels E+W+S

51.—(1) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that a scheme complies with the requirements in paragraph (2), the Secretary of State may approve that scheme for the purpose of these Regulations.

(2) The requirements in this paragraph are that appropriate procedures have been adopted to ensure that the person administering the scheme (“the scheme administrator”)—

(a) establishes and maintains an accurate and up to date list of fuels which—

(i) are solid biomass;

(ii) comply with the requirements in paragraph (3) or (4); and

(iii) are available to be supplied to participants;

(b) includes on the list all those fuels in respect of which—

(i) an application has been made to the scheme administrator for that fuel to be included in the list; and

(ii) the supplier is able to demonstrate compliance with the requirements in paragraph (3) or (4);

(c) processes applications by suppliers of solid biomass fuel for the inclusion of fuel in the list promptly and fairly;

(d) ensures that application procedures are clear, proportionate and accessible to suppliers;

(e) ensures that each fuel which is included in the list is allocated an authorisation number or other means of identification which is specific to that fuel;

(f) requires suppliers of listed fuels to—

(i) store listed fuel separately from other fuels supplied by them which are not so listed; and

(ii) provide documentary evidence of the authorisation number or other means of identification when supplying an approved sustainable fuel;

(g) carries out reasonable checks to ensure that fuels which are listed continue to comply with the requirements in sub-paragraph (f) and paragraph (3) or (4);

(h) takes reasonable steps to identify and remove from the list—

(i) any fuel which no longer complies with the requirements in paragraph (3) or (4); or

(ii) any fuel which has ceased (other than temporarily) to be available;

(i) where appropriate, removes from the list those fuels which are supplied by a supplier who breaches the requirements of the scheme; and

(j) deals with complaints by suppliers in relation to the operation of the scheme in a fair and transparent manner.

(3) The requirements in this paragraph are—

(a) that the fuel would, if used in a plant with an efficiency of at least 0.7, meet the greenhouse gas criteria;

(b) that any fuel which is included in the list on or after 6th July 2015 meets the land [F1 criteria;]

[F2 (c) that any fuel which is included in the list on or after 1st April 2022 meets the fuel quality criteria.]

(4) The requirements in this paragraph are that the fuel—

(a) is, or is wholly derived from waste; or

(b) is self-supplied for use in a plant with an installation capacity of less than 1MWth.

(5) Where the Secretary of State approves a scheme under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may declare that any fuel—

(a) listed under that scheme before the date on which the scheme is approved; and

(b) received by a participant before that date,

is deemed to meet the requirement in paragraph (3)(a) and the land criteria.

(6) Where the Secretary of State is no longer satisfied that an approved scheme complies with the requirements in paragraph (2), the Secretary of State may by notice to the scheme administrator, revoke approval of the scheme with effect from the date specified in the notice.

(7) Where approval is revoked in accordance with paragraph (6), any fuel listed under the scheme which has been supplied to a final consumer before the date on which the approval is revoked is treated as sustainable for the purposes of these Regulations.

(8) In this regulation “efficiency”, in relation to a plant, means—

where—

where—

H is the heat produced by the plant in the form of liquid or steam, and

F is the energy content of all the fuels used by the plant.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in reg. 51(3)(b) substituted (1.4.2022) by The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme and Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/76), regs. 1(3)(a), 21(a)

F2 Reg. 51(3)(c) inserted (1.4.2022) by The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme and Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/76), regs. 1(3)(a), 21(b)