The Renewables Obligation Order 2015

Protected sources E+W

5.—(1) For the purposes of paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), biomaterial is obtained from a protected source if it is obtained from—

(a) land which at any time during or after January 2008 was primary forest;

(b) land which at any time during or after January 2008 was designated for nature protection purposes (unless the production of the biomaterial did not interfere with those nature protection purposes);

(c) highly biodiverse grassland (unless the harvesting of the biomaterial was necessary to preserve the grassland status);

(d) land which at any time during January 2008 was peatland (unless the cultivation and harvesting of the biomaterial did not involve the drainage of previously undrained soil);

(e) a former continuously forested area;

(f) except where sub-paragraph (2) or (4) applies to the biomaterial, a former lightly forested area; or

(g) a former wetland area.

(2) This sub-paragraph applies to biomaterial obtained from a former lightly forested area where—

(a) the fuel made from the biomaterial was not a bioliquid; and

(b) the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of the fuel to generate one megajoule of electricity did not exceed the relevant target.

(3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(b), the greenhouse gas emissions must be calculated using the method provided for in Part 2 of Schedule 2.

(4) This sub-paragraph applies to biomaterial obtained from a former lightly forested area where—

(a) the fuel made from the biomaterial was a bioliquid; and

(b) the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of the bioliquid to generate electricity were lower, by at least the relevant percentage, than the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuel.

(5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (4)(b), the percentage difference between the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of the bioliquid and the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuel must be calculated using the method provided for in paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 to 18 of Part C of Annex 5 to the Renewables Directive.

(6) For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a) biomaterial was obtained from a former continuously forested area if the land—

(i) was a continuously forested area at any time during January 2008, and

(ii) was not a continuously forested area when the biomaterial was obtained from it;

(b) biomaterial was obtained from a former lightly forested area if the land—

(i) was a lightly forested area at any time during January 2008, and

(ii) was not a lightly forested area or a continuously forested area when the biomaterial was obtained from it; and

(c) biomaterial was obtained from a former wetland area if the land—

(i) was a wetland area at any time during January 2008, and

(ii) was not a wetland area when the biomaterial was obtained from it.