The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/3072) (“the 2007 Order”).

Article 3 amends the definition of “notional volume” in the 2007 Order so that, where the volume as calculated in accordance with article 5 of that Order includes a fraction of a litre, it is to be rounded up or down to the nearest whole litre.

Articles 4(1) and (2) and 5(1) and (2) amend articles 4 and 5 of the 2007 Order. The effect is to provide that where hydrotreated vegetable oil derives in part from hydrogen from a non-biological source, that portion is nevertheless deemed to be wholly derived from renewable feedstocks for the purposes of calculating notional volume.

The 2007 Order provides that one kilogram of gaseous relevant hydrocarbon oil must be treated as equivalent to one litre of liquid relevant hydrocarbon oil. Articles 4(3) and 5(3) of this Order amend the 2007 Order to provide that one kilogram of certain renewable gaseous fuels is equivalent to 1.9 (in the case of biomethane) or 1.75 (in the case of biopropane and biobutane) litres of liquid renewable fuel.

The effect of the amendment made by article 6 is to update the power of the Administrator (the Secretary of State) to require information. The types of information listed in article 13(4) of the 2007 Order which could be required from a transport fuels supplier are either no longer needed or may be required under other powers in the 2007 Order, following amendments made in 2011. These included the introduction of mandatory carbon and sustainability reporting requirements to transpose Directive 2009/28/EC (on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources). The amendments made by Article 7 are consequential to the amendment made by Article 6.

No impact assessment has been prepared for this instrument. A cost benefit analysis on the effect of this instrument is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is published alongside the instrument at www.legislation.gov.uk.