The Renewables Obligation Order 2015
This Order consolidates and re-enacts the Renewables Obligation Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/785) (the “2009 Order”) as amended and makes new provision. It imposes an obligation (“the renewables obligation”), on all electricity suppliers licensed under the Electricity Act 1989 (“the Act”) which supply electricity in England and Wales, to produce a certain number of renewables obligation certificates in respect of each megawatt hour of electricity that each supplies to customers in England and Wales during a specified period known as an “obligation period” (article 7). It also “bands” the different technologies that are used to generate electricity from renewable sources, meaning that the number of certificates that will be issued in respect of that electricity depends on the way in which that electricity has been generated. The renewables obligation is administered by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (“the Authority”) who issues renewable obligation certificates to renewable electricity generators based on their renewable output. These certificates are sold to electricity suppliers with or without the associated renewable electricity.