Foreword
The last month has been very
heavy on the policy front, with most of it affecting the bioenergy sector.
Chief among these have been two key announcements regarding sources of
financial support for bioenergy projects. Firstly, it has been confirmed the
Feed-In Tariff scheme will close to new applicants on 31st March
2019, which has provided support for small-scale renewables, including AD in
recent years. The sector has long known that this was going to occur, with the
closure informally announced during 2018, but speculation has been rife as to
what ilk of scheme will take its place. With the closure of the Renewables
Obligation in 2017, and with the Contracts for Difference scheme being
unavailable to small-scale generators supported by other schemes, there was
risk of an evident gap in support once the FIT formally closes. A consultation
on a replacement scheme has taken place, but until the government publishes its
response to that, newly commissioned small-scale projects will feel the sting. Even
proposals for the new scheme do not offer much hope, with no proposals to
replace the generation tariffs; the focus is very much on export tariffs but
the spotlight falls to suppliers to decide what is on offer and for how long. In
parallel, tariffs for biomethane injection continue to degree under the Renewable
Heat Incentive, so the despite the industry being highly active at the moment,
this level of activity is not expected to last.........
Other News this Month Includes:
Policy
- Call for Evidence for revised Bioenergy
Strategy
- UK Feed-In Tariff closure confirmed by
government
- Humber region stands to benefit from Carbon
Capture and Storage
- UK Government suggests future
coal-to-biomass conversions will not be supported
- State of Arizona seeks to develop 60MW of
bioenergy
Markets
- Framework released for round 3 of Contracts
for Difference scheme
- Japan and Korea continue to see bioenergy
growth despite unhelpful policies
- 2018 records lowest UK power output since
1980s
- US biomass energy forecasts released for
2019
Research & Development
- Drax-commissioned report into global energy
sector status
- Neutron analysis could lead to cleaner
burning of biomass
Biomass Heat and Power
- Portuguese biomass plants may help prevent
forest fires
- Legal challenge of funding for Spanish
biomass plant
Biogas
- First of many proposed biogas projects for
Ireland
- Irish beef sector to back AD
Events
ROC Prices