United Kingdom
The UK has included a FIT authorisation clause in its Energy Act 2008.
Summary
The Act came into affect on 28th November 2008. It contains the legislative provisions required to implement UK energy policy following the publication of the Energy Review 2006 and the Energy White Paper 2007. The Energy Act covers a host of energy related topics.
The Act enables the government and provides for broad guidelines to introduce a FIT scheme for electricity and heat generation.
The following types of RES may be included within FIT regimes:
- biomass;
- biofuels;
- fuel cells;
- photovoltaics;
- water (including waves and tides);
- wind;
- solar power;
- geothermal sources;
- combined heat and power systems;
- heat from air, water or the ground.
In the electricity sector, the provisions apply to “small scale low carbon energy generators” with a maximum capacity of 5 megawatts. CHP systems may not exceed an electrical capacity of 50 kilowatts.
The legislation does not set out timeframes for the introduction and duration of either FITs scheme. The legislation does not provide details on prices, differential tariffs for types of RES, connection costs and obligations, nor any indications of the rate of tariff digression for either the electricity or heat incentive schemes. The Act provides for the relevant Secretary of State to decide these details administratively.
The Energy Bill leaves in place Britain's existing Renewable Obligation Certificate trading program for larger projects. The two programs, the Renewable Obligation and the feed-in tariff system, will operate in parallel.
EC review and assessment
Read a of the European Commission’s 2005 review of the UK's renewable electricity policies and of its 2007 assessment of the UK's progress in meeting the target set out in Directive 2001/77/EC.
Legal analysis
There currently is no legal analysis of this law. If you are a lawyer from the UK, and interested in submitting an analysis, or providing more up-to-date information about the current status of the renewable energy policy, we would be happy to hear form you. Contact us
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