Regulatory Timeline: Environment and Renewables

“2015 will see wholesale changes to the European waste economy, with the EC’s withdrawal of the Revised Framework Directive and its replacement with more ambitious proposals under the circular economy package. The package is intended to amend the European directives for packaging waste, landfill, ELVs, batteries and WEEE, with the aim of moving towards a more circular economy.

“Locally, the focus for 2015 will be on securing financial certainty for renewables projects in the context of the ever-changing UK renewables subsidies landscape; with periodic tariff degressions planned for the RO and RHI, the introduction of CfDs and new sustainability requirements under the RHI, this will be no small challenge.”

1 March 2015 -Renewable Heat Incentive

Latest date by which DECC will announce degressions to Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariffs that will apply to new accreditations under the RHI made after 1 April 2015 (until 30 June 2015).

31 March 2015 – Electricity Market Reform: CfDs

First allocation round ends and first Contracts for Difference (CfDs) contracts are expected to come into effect, with CfD strike prices being indexed for inflation. 

1 April 2015 – Electricity Market Reform: CfDs 

The compulsory levy on electricity suppliers, known as the ‘supplier obligation’, comes into force and must be paid by all licensed electricity suppliers in Great Britain. 

1 April 2015 – Energy Companies Obligation 

New extended Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) scheme (ECO2) obligation period begins.

1 April 2015 – Magistrates’ sentencing powers come into force

Proposals granting magistrates unlimited fining powers for certain environmental offences expected to come into force.

1 April 2015 – Landfill Tax increases

The lower rate of landfill tax will increase to £2.60 per tonne. The standard rate of landfill tax will increase to £82.60 per tonne. The standard rate will then increase in line with RPI, rounded to the nearest five pence, from 1 April 2015.

The Government has also indicated that it will introduce a loss on ignition testing regime on fines (residual waste from waste processing) from waste transfer stations by this date. 

1 April 2015 – Renewables Obligation Order comes into force

The Consolidated Renewables Obligation (RO) Order is due to come into force on 1 April 2015. This is also the proposed date for closing the RO to new solar PV installations above 5MW; and for the introduction of mandatory sustainability requirements that must be met by RO eligible biomass stations of 1MW or more (to take effect from 5 October 2015).
Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) tariffs will decrease, or increase (depending on the type of installation), for new RO eligible installations.

1 April 2015 – Climate Change Levy: rates increase

Climate Change Levy (CCL) rates will increase in line with the RPI. 

1 April 2015 – Climate Change Levy: Carbon Price Floor

Fuels used to generate good-quality electricity by combined heat and power plants for on-site purposes will be exempt from the Carbon Price Floor.

1 April 2015 – Feed-in Tariffs

The Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) Order 2015, which introduces a number of changes to encourage community energy projects, comes into force.

15 April 2015 – Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Earliest date by which proposed changes to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will be introduced, pending the outcome of EU negotiations. The proposed changes include increased support for certain renewable gaseous fuels and clarification of the powers of the Department of Transport.

1 June 2015 – Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation

The Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (EC No 1272/2008) comes into force fully and introduces detailed and revised classification and labelling requirements, having direct effect in EU Member States.

1 July 2015 – Batteries Directive

Proposed date for the implementation of the minimum requirements of the Batteries Directive 2013, amending the Batteries Directive 2006. 

1 July 2015 – Monitoring of shipping emissions within the EU

Draft Regulations issued by the European Commission concerning the monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions of carbon dioxide from EU maritime transport due to come into force.

7 July 2015 – Industrial Emissions

Some industrial and waste activities will become subject to more onerous environmental permitting requirements as a result of the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010. 

31 July 2015 – CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme 

Submission date for the first Annual Report for the initial phase of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme. The annual report publication for the initial phase will then be published at the end of 2015.

14 August 2015 – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment regime

EC to review the scope of application of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regime, which is to be extended to apply to all Electrical and Electronic Equipment from August 2018 (save for limited exemptions and exclusions).

1 September 2015 – CfDs

Exemption from the Supplier Obligation and the operational cost levy for energy-intensive industries to be introduced in Great Britain in autumn 2015, subject to state aid approval.

1 October 2015 – Carrier bag charge

5p charge on all single-use plastic carrier bags due to be introduced in England.

1 October 2015 – Offtake of last resort mechanism

Applications for the offtake of last resort mechanism open.

5 October 2015 – RHI

The obligation to report on land-use and biomass sustainability criteria under the RHI comes into force.

5 December 2015 – Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme

Undertakings to which the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) applies must have notified the Environment Agency that they have complied with the first compliance period of the ESOS by 5 December 2015.
6 December 2015 ESOS Second ESOS compliance phase begins.

31 December 2015 – Waste Framework Directive/circular economy package

By the end of 2015 the European Commission intends to withdraw its current proposals for a Revised Waste Framework Directive and replace it with ambitious new proposals to promote the circular economy. The circular economy package will amend European directives for packaging waste, WEEE, batteries, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), waste and landfill.

1 January 2016 – WEEE

WEEE Regulations 2013 relating to reporting and issue of evidence notes by operators of approved authorised treatment facilities (AATFs) or approved exporters of WEEE come into force.