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<p>In relation to biomass boilers we announced a 5% reduction to the medium commercial biomass tariffs which took effect from 1 July. In September, we announced the introduction of emissions limits for biomass boilers.</p><p>The tariff reduction to medium biomass tariffs was made under the cost-control mechanism for the non-domestic RHI scheme, which is set out in regulations. This degression-based system was introduced in April this year following the consultation ‘Renewable Heat Incentive: Providing certainty, improving performance’, which was published in July 2012 and is available at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewable-heat-incentive-providing-certainty-and-improving-performance</p><p>It was always our intention to introduce emission limits to the RHI scheme, we announced what these limits would be in our policy document published in March 2011. These regulations came into force on 24 September this year. Prior to their introduction, we carried out two public consultations, in which we sought views before making them a part of the scheme. These consultations were:</p><p>‘Renewable Heat Incentive: Consultation on the proposed RHI financial support Scheme’, published in February 2010, available at:</p><p>http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100712173559/http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/rhi/rhi.aspx</p><p>The outcome of this consultation is the March 2011 policy document referred to above.</p><p>‘Renewable Heat Incentive: providing certainty and improving performance’, published in July 2012, available at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/43165/5883-rhi-certainty-performance-cons.pdf</p><p>The response to this consultation was published in February 2013, ‘Government response to 'Providing Certainty, improving performance’, available at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/128679/Gov_response_to_non_domestic_July_2012_consultation_-_26_02_2013.pdf</p><p>The domestic RHI scheme will launch in spring 2014. It will include support for eligible biomass-only boilers and biomass pellet stoves with integrated boilers. Following our announcement on 11 November, this support will also cover condensing biomass boilers:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/news/condensing-biomass-boilers-qualify-for-domestic-rhi</p><p>The announcement came following the results of tests undertaken on behalf of DEFRA to look at the condensate discharged by condensing biomass boilers. The study was done with input from industry.</p> |