UK: Biogas producers must cut emissions to get RHI payments
Owners of biomethane plants receiving Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) funding will have to demonstrate 60% cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the point of injection into the grid.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) originally said operators would have to demonstrate cuts at the point of use. But trade bodies including the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresource Association argued this would be impossible for operators to control.
The changes will affect all bioenergy plants. A reporting system will open in spring 2015, with all operators receiving RHI having to report and meet the 60% reductions by the autumn.
GHG emissions will need to be 60% less than those of the EU fossil fuel average, equating to no more than 34.8 gCO2eq/MJ to qualify.
Source: Farmers Weekly
