Assistance with RHI and FIT accreditation and reporting
In the closing months of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes, Alder Bioinsights 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 Alder Bioinsights’ 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.
Alder Bioinsights helped the plants by advising on what they would be eligible for and by explaining the limitations of the schemes. Alder Bioinsights 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, Alder Bioinsights 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, Alder Bioinsights 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. Alder Bioinsights 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, Alder Bioinsights 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, Alder Bioinsights has trained the operators to carry out the reporting themselves.
Moving forward, Alder Bioinsights expects to be able to provide similar support for accreditation with the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS), when it is launched later in 2021. Alder Bioinsights 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.