Northern Ireland Statutory Rule
2009
Northern Ireland
The Renewables Obligation Order (Northern Ireland) 2009
This Order imposes an obligation (“the renewables obligation”) on all electricity suppliers, licensed under the Electricity Order (Northern Ireland) 1992 (“the Electricity Order”) who supply electricity in Northern Ireland, to produce a certain number of renewables obligation certificates in respect of each megawatt hour of electricity that each supplies to customers in Northern Ireland during a specified period known as an obligation period (Article 5). 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 Order provides for the renewables obligation to be administered by the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation(“the Authority”) who are responsible for issuing renewables obligation certificates (NIROCs) to renewable electricity generators on their renewable output. These certificates are sold to electricity suppliers with or without the associated renewable electricity. Show full description Show less
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
31 compliance obligations
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Operator 6
- Any Person 6
- Distributor 4
- Trader 1
Plus 14 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Distributors also bound by 177 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) Regulations 2017 2017 28 duties
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (Wales) Regulations 2017 2017 26 duties
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 2017 25 duties
- Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 2002 21 duties
- THE ELECTRICITY SAFETY, QUALITY AND CONTINUITY REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2012 2012 19 duties
Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 413 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 243 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 114 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 62 duties
- Building Societies Act 1986 1986 56 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Introductory Provisions
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Interpretation
Waste as a renewable energy source
Biomass and fuels which are to be treated as biomass
Fossil derived bioliquid
Part 2 — The Renewables Obligation
The renewables obligation
- Submit Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation Certificates (NIROCs) Distributor
Part of calculation A referable to Northern Ireland
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Northern Ireland Department must estimate annual electricity supply for renewables Crown / Minister / Government department
Determining the number of renewables obligation certificates to be produced in an obligation period
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NI Department must determine the total renewable energy certificate obligation Crown / Minister / Government department
Determining the number of renewables obligation certificates to be produced by a designated electricity supplier in order to discharge his renewables obligation
- Produce Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for electricity supplied Distributor
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — Matters to be certified by and content of NIROCs
Matters to be certified by NIROCs
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NIROCs must certify specific electricity generation matters Statutory regulator
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 4 — Cases and circumstances when a NIROC must not be issued
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Excluded generating stations
Generating stations first commissioned before 1st January 1990
Generating stations accredited for longer than 20 years
Generating stations in respect of which a NFFO arrangement applied but was terminated
Non-commissioned generating stations in respect of which a NFFO arrangement applies
Circumstances in which no NIROCs are to be issued in respect of electricity generated from renewable sources
Circumstances in which no NIROCs are to be issued in respect of electricity generated from solid or gaseous biomass
Part 5 — NIROCs to be issued by Authority in respect of renewable output
NIROCs to be issued by Authority in respect of a generation station’s renewable output
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must issue NIROCs for renewable electricity generated Statutory regulator
Circumstances in which no NIROCs are to be issued in respect of electricity generated from bioliquid
- Demonstrate bioliquid sustainability to receive NIROCs Operator
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Common agricultural policy requirements
Calculating a generating station’s renewable output
Renewable output of a qualifying combined heat and power generating station
Part 6 — Banding and Grandfathering
The amount of electricity to be stated in each NIROC
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must state the specific electricity amount on each NIROC Statutory regulator
Microgeneration Certification Scheme
- Provide an MCS certificate for solar or wind microgeneration accreditation Operator
Browse 17 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Electricity generated by qualifying combined heat and power generating stations
High-range co-firing in the 2013/14 obligation period
Co-firing of regular bioliquid in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 obligation periods
Low-range co-firing in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 obligation periods
Low-range co-firing of relevant energy crops
Low-range co-firing of relevant energy crops with CHP
Microgenerators and qualifying new small scale generators
Qualifying new onshore wind stations and qualifying new solar photovoltaic stations
Qualifying new hydro stations
Qualifying new anaerobic digestion stations
Generating stations which were accredited as at 11th July 2006
Wave and tidal stream generating stations
Generating stations which were accredited, or held preliminary accreditation, as at 31st March 2009
Qualifying existing onshore wind stations and qualifying existing solar photovoltaic stations
Qualifying existing hydro stations
Generating stations in respect of which a statutory grant has been awarded
Review of banding provisions
Part 7 — Issue and Revocation of NIROCs
Issue of NIROCs to generators and suppliers
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must issue Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation Certificates (NIROCs) Statutory regulator
Further criteria applicable to NIROCs certifying matters within Article 54 (4) and (6) of the Energy Order
- Confirm microgenerator status to receive NIROCs Any Person
Where NIROCs cannot be revoked
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must restrict revocation of NIROCs and refuse replacement certificates Statutory regulator
NIROCs : financial bids
- Use fair auction process for NFFO-linked NIROCs Trader
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 8 — Payments to discharge the renewables obligation, dealing with the buy-out and late payment funds
Late Payments to discharge the renewables obligation
- Pay late renewables obligation amounts including high interest Distributor
Dealing with the buy-out fund: payments into the Consolidated Fund and to the Great Britain authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must distribute buy-out funds to government and UK suppliers Statutory regulator
Dealing with the late payment fund: payments into the Consolidated Fund and to the Great Britain authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must distribute the late payment fund to authorities and suppliers Statutory regulator
Dealing with the buy-out and late payment funds: payments to United Kingdom suppliers
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must distribute buy-out and late payment funds to UK suppliers Statutory regulator
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 9 — Provision of information, functions of the Authority and modifications of this Order in relation to microgenerators in certain circumstances
Provisions of information to the Authority
- Provide electricity generation and supply data to the Authority Distributor
Information to be provided to the Authority where electricity is generated from biomass ...
- Submit annual report on biomass fuel sources and sustainability Operator
Bioliquid sustainability audit report
- Submit an annual sustainability audit for bioliquid electricity generation Operator
Solid and gaseous biomass sustainability audit report
- Submit an annual sustainability audit for biomass electricity generation Operator
Provision of information to the Department
- Send a copy of Authority information to the Department Any Person
Preliminary accreditation and accreditation of generating stations
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must determine accreditation for generating stations Statutory regulator
Registration as a grace period generating station
- Register as a grace period generating station Operator
NIROC Register
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must maintain the NIROC Register and list of certificate holders Statutory regulator
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
The NIROC Register
- Register as a NIROC holder and provide identity evidence Any Person
The contents of the Register (including the entries referred to...
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Authority must make Register available for inspection and provide written statements Statutory regulator
Where— (a) a NIROC is issued under this Order, or...
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- UREGNI must notify NIROC holders of issue or transfer within 5 banking days Statutory regulator
The default value method must not be used to calculate...
- Do not use default value method for biomass emissions unless exempt Any Person
The mixed value method must not be used for the...
- Do not use mixed value method for bioliquid greenhouse gas calculation unless the bioliquid is in the Renewables Directive tables Any Person
The default percentage must not be used for the purposes...
- Do not use default greenhouse gas emission value for bioliquids unless calculation shows savings Any Person
Browse 44 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
CALCULATION OF THE OBLIGATION
ELECTRICITY TO BE STATED IN NIROCs
(1) In this Schedule— “2009/11 dedicated biomass generating station” means...
The Authority must maintain the Register referred to in Article...
The substitute cannot be the registered holder of a NIROC...
The Register may be amended by a decision of the...
Where any person considers that an entry maintained in respect...
The Authority must in any procedural guidelines which it produces...
“Banking day” means a day on which banks are generally...
The Register must identify whether or not a NIROC subsists...
Particulars of a NIROC comprise— (a) the name of the...
A person may only be the registered holder of a...
The Authority may from time to time draw up procedural...
The Authority must delete from the Register—
Where the registered holder of a NIROC and a person...
Where the Authority receives requests under paragraph 7(a) it must...
ACTUAL VALUE METHOD FOR CALCULATING EMISSIONS FROM THE USE OF BIOMASS
The greenhouse gas emissions from the use of biomass are...
In this Schedule— (a) η e l is equal to...
DEFAULT VALUE METHOD FOR CALCULATING EMISSIONS FROM THE USE OF BIOMASS
The greenhouse gas emissions from the use of biomass are...
In this Schedule— (a) η e l , η h...
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION CRITERIA FOR BIOLIQUID
Greenhouse gas emission criteria for solid and gaseous biomass
Interpretation
The greenhouse gas emission criteria
Calculating the greenhouse gas emissions
For the purposes of paragraph 4(c), paragraph 7 of Part...
Where the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of biomass...
In paragraph (6)— (a) η e l is equal to...
The greenhouse gas emissions from the use of biomass are...
In paragraph (8)— (a) η e l , η h...
Interpretation
The greenhouse gas emission criteria
Calculating the percentage difference
Where the mixed value method is used for the purposes...
LAND CRITERIA
Interpretation
Land criteria: bioliquids
Land criteria: woody biomass
Land criteria: other fuels
Protected sources
Sustainable source
Exempt purposes
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- The UK Biomass and Bioliquid Carbon Calculator | Ofgem (opens in a new tab) from Ofgem Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Utility Regulator (Northern Ireland)
Regulates electricity, gas, and water industries in Northern Ireland. Protects consumers, promotes competition, and ensures adequate utility supply.
Connected legislation
parent Act
These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.
Made under
Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 2003 Primary Act
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