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<p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 16-17W.</p><p>We published the consultation ‘Non-Domestic Scheme Early Tariff Review’ on 31 May 2013, the same day as our first degression announcement, which was open for responses until 28 June 2013. You can view the consultation at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/204446/Tariff_Review_Consultation_for_PUBLICATION.pdf</p><p>There was no formal consultation following the degression announcements in May, but we received informal feedback from stakeholders about the announcement.</p><p>On 4 December, we published a Government policy document on the RHI: ‘Improving Support, Increasing Uptake’. This is available through our website at:</p><p>www.gov.uk/decc/rhi</p><p>The announcements relating to biomass in this document were:</p><p>Increase in support for large biomass boilers (i.e. of more than 1 megawatt capacity) to 2p per kilowatt hour (p/kWh).</p><p>The introduction of a dedicated tariff of 4.1 p/kWh for Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance Programme (CHPQA)-certified biomass CHP, excluding energy from waste.</p><p>Continued application of the standard solid biomass tariff, now 2.0p/kWhs to the biogenic content of energy from waste.</p><p>In addition, we intend for the Biomass Suppliers List to be open for applications from suppliers of solid biomass in spring 2014. This will give biomass suppliers the time they need to prepare for the mandatory implementation of the criteria in autumn 2014.</p><p>DECC intends to introduce the following legislated requirements for sustainable biomass in the RHI scheme:</p><p>Minimum 60% GHG emission saving relative to EU fossil fuel heat average (=4.8g CO<Sub>2</Sub> per MJ), from autumn2014.</p><p>Land criteria which correspond to meeting the UK timber procurement policy for woody biomass, from 1 April 2015, subject to parliamentary processes.</p><p>In order to provide flexibility and simplify scheme administration and the Biomass Suppliers List in future years, we have amended RHI policy so that sustainability standards are not grandfathered. We intend that all existing and new applicants to the non-domestic RHI should comply with any updated criteria, from the date the amended legislation comes into force.</p><p>The 4 December document was a response to three consultations and a call for evidence, as follows:</p><p>“Expanding the non-domestic scheme”. This was published on 20 September 2012 and was open for responses until 7 December 2012. You can view the consultation at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66160/RHI_-_expanding_the_non-domestic_scheme.pdf</p><p>“Air to Water Heat Pumps and Energy from Waste”. This was published on 20 September 2012 and was open for responses until 18 October 2012. You can view the consultation at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66605/6452-renewable-heat-incentive-air-to-water-heat-pumps-.pdf</p><p>The early tariff review consultation mentioned above.</p><p>A call for evidence on large biomass. This was published on 20 September 2012 and was open for responses until 18 October 2012. You can view the document at:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66167/RHI_call_for_evidence_-_large_biomass.pdf</p><p>Apart from these formal approaches, there are informal discussions between DECC and stakeholders regarding the detailed policy.</p><p>It remains our intention to introduce the changes outlined in our 4 December announcement in spring 2014.</p> |