Commentary on Sections Part 2: Sustainability and Renewable Energy Sources Chapter 5: Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Section 127: Renewable transport fuel certificates
296.This section enables the Secretary of State to make provision in an order for the Administrator to issue renewable transport fuel certificates (“RTF certificates”) to suppliers. An RTF certificates scheme would enable the trading of certificates between suppliers, and ‘banking’ of certificates for use in future obligation periods. The section allows an order to make provision for both these options.
297.Subsection (2) provides that an RTF certificate would certify that the stated amount of RTF has been supplied by the stated supplier, to the stated place and in the stated period. It would count as sufficient evidence of the facts certified for the purposes of an RTFO.
298.Subsection (3) provides that an order may specify conditions or requirements relating to the issue of certificates, including, as to the making of applications for certificates (including information to be provided).
299.Subsection (4) provides that an order may allow for transfers of certificates between specified persons, which would facilitate the trading of such certificates. Subsection (5) provides that an order may provide certain conditions in relation to such transfers, such as informing the Administrator.
300.Subsection (7) provides that an order may allow for certificates to be accepted after the deadline for producing evidence of discharge of an obligation. For example, an order might provide for a ‘reconciliation’ period during which suppliers are given a period of time to acquire additional certificates where necessary for the purpose of discharging their RTFOs.
301.Subsection (8) provides that an order may allow for certificates to be accepted in later periods than the period for which they were issued. This would allow companies, for example, to 'bank' certificates for future use or sale where they had more in one period than was required to fulfil their RTFO.