In the closing months of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) and Renewable
Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes, NNFCC helped 12 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants to
obtain accreditation.
The AD plants, with biomethane injection facilities and/or
CHP facilities, were typically eligible for multiple renewables incentives: RHI
for biomethane injection, FIT for electricity generation, and RHI for heat generation.
However, with the different requirements for each site and scheme, companies
looking to build or invest in AD plants required support to understand what
they were eligible for, how to apply, and how to remain compliant after
accreditation.
Given NNFCC’s experience with the requirements and the
underlying legislation of the schemes, as well as their expert knowledge of
many other AD plant operations, the team was able to take a lot of the stress
out of accreditation process for these sites.
NNFCC helped the plants by advising on what they would be
eligible for and by explaining the limitations of the schemes. NNFCC then
helped plants to secure a provisional tariff guarantee notice (PTGN); this
involved gathering and submitting information (such as estimated initial gas
volumes) and evidence (such as site planning permission and initial agreement
for connection with the gas grid). In a second stage, NNFCC carried out due
diligence for the sites as a third party auditor, as required by RHI to secure
a full tariff guarantee (TG).
More recently, NNFCC supported a number of these plants with
the full RHI and FIT applications, compiling technical details of electricity,
heat and gas production as well as offtake and metering arrangements. NNFCC supported
the applications even after submission, following up on queries from Ofgem and coordinating
the collection and submission of supplementary evidence.
With the plants having successfully secured RHI and FIT
accreditation, NNFCC has carried out the initial periodic data reporting to
Ofgem, to claim the initial payments. For some sites, NNF continues in this
role, coordinating and making submissions on a quarterly basis. These reporting
contracts with the sites gives them peace of mind for ongoing compliance with
the RHI and FIT schemes. For other sites, NNFCC has trained the operators to
carry out the reporting themselves.
Moving forward, NNFCC expects to be able to provide similar
support for accreditation with the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS), when it is
launched later in 2021. NNFCC also provides a range of supporting services for
prospective or existing sites, for example feedstock mapping and advice on
RTFCs, green gas certificates and green gas trading.