EU Renewables Directive
The main means of supporting renewables at a European Union (EU) level is through the Directive on the Promotion of Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources in the Internal Electricity Market (2001/77/EC), also called the Renewables Directive, which requires each country to commit to specific targets for renewable energy.
The Directive follows on from the European Union White Paper, ‘Energy for the Future: Renewable Sources of Energy 1997’. The promotion of electricity from renewable sources of energy is a high priority in the EU for several reasons in addition to combating climate change. These include security and diversification of energy supply, environmental protection, and social and economic development.
Under the Renewables Directive, member states are required to adopt national targets for renewables that are consistent with reaching the Commission’s target of 22 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2010. The indicative target that the proposal sets for the UK is 10 per cent of electricity by that date.
The directive also requires that Member States ensure that a guarantee of origin is issued on request in respect of electricity generated from eligible renewable energy sources, as defined by the directive. In Great Britain this part of the directive has been implemented through the Electricity Regulations 2003 (Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 2562). These guarantees of origin are called REGOs and a guide to the Statutory Instrument has been produced.
(64KB)Under the regulations Ofgem is responsible for issuing GB REGOs and has set out its administrative procedures which is available from the link below:
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