IrBEA response to CER Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy

The CER invited responses to a Consultation Paper on the Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy. It initiates a review of existing connection policy and requests views on the CER’s proposals for the enduring connection policy regime which will be developed over the course of 2016 and on proposals for transitional arrangements to be decided upon in early 2016. IrBEA asked Tom Bruton/BioXL to lead and coordinate the work in regard to written consultation process. Following feedback from members on a draft IrBEA document, today we submitted the finalised IrBEA response.

In summary:

  • New gate type process targeted to be in place after 30/6/16
  • The level of non-group applications in 2015 has exceeded any prior level, and current rule set is not fit for purpose
  • Shorter fixed-time gates are suggested
  • Your date of application prior to this e.g. to Gate 3 process will probably not matter
  • Likely to encompass all technologies, not just wind, and to go well below current 5MW non-GPA threshold
  • Big question posed about  planning permission prior to grid – not at all straight-forward to implement
  • Emphasis shifts away from 2020 targets and talks about renewables having less significance in connection priority (Gate 3 was mainly renewables driven)
  • Proposes in short term refund on stage 1 payments to DSO/TSO if capacity is surrendered prior to 30/6/16
  • Priority proposed in short term for DS3 applicants
  • Short term measure up to 30/6/16 to allow existing connections to apply for 10% MEC increase, where capacity available

BioEnergy Working Group 3 Consultation

DCENR set up four working groups in 2014 to allow consultation on the National Bioenergy Plan.
Working Group 3 (Biomass Supply Chains) met in December (2015) and reviewed the following proposed changes to the BioEnergy Plan

Changes

BioEnergy Plan

We are now asked to comment on these proposed changes, by the end of this week. The changes are only 3 pages so its quite fast to do.
We are asking members to have a look at the proposed changes and send your comments / suggestions to myself by close of business Thursday. I will compile IrBEA’s response and send in by Friday this week.

Some of the main changes we are considering are:
7.1  Propose changes to legislation to allow sludge to be spread on energy crops. This is currently only allowed with a waste permit, where as sludge can be spread without a waste permit on food crops!
7.3 We received a proposal to make B-Train trucks legal. B-Trains are essentially twin trailers, and will lower the transport costs of light bulky materials like wood chip.
9 Retain the sentence “Additional funding will be required in the period to 2020 to fund the establishment of the bioenergy sector”
9.2 Is there a need to legislate or regulate for district heating?  we would be interested in members views. Also we will be calling for all public buildings to be required to embrace district heating where it is available and economic

We welcome your comments on the above.

With Best Regards,

Noel Gavigan

Reports on world Waste to Energy (WtE) and AD/Biogas markets

Visiongain has published a 2015 report on energy-from-waste (EfW) companies, which ranks and profiles the 25 leading operators of waste-to-energy plants in the 244 million tonnes per annum global market. There’s a second new report on the Global Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Market 2016-2026: Forecasts for Anaerobic Digester Facilities with Agricultural and Waste Feedstocks for Biogas Production

DAFM land availability for forestry – report launch

Prepared by the Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD), this Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine report launched on 14 January outlines the physical land resource that is potentially available for afforestation and makes a series of recommendations on how to increase the level of planting. The report states: “On lands classified as being ‘limited’ for agriculture, representing 1.8 million hectares, there is wider scope for afforestation. These lands have a higher proportion of difficult soils, often economically marginal for agriculture, with forestry presenting a viable alternative land use option.” See press release and link to document

CER Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy

The CER has published aConsultation Paper on the Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy. It initiates a review of existing connection policy and requests views on the CER’s proposals for the enduring connection policy regime which will be developed over the course of 2016 and on proposals for transitional arrangements to be decided upon in early 2016. IrBEA has asked Tom Bruton/BioXL to lead and coordinate the following work in regard to written consultation process:
* Draft document prepared for member circulation by 20th January
* Deadline for direct IrBEA member feedback 5pm 26th January
* Document finalised and submitted by 29th January (CER deadline)

Consultancy for System Operator to support Grid Development in Northern Ireland

SONI, the System Operator for Northern Ireland, is seeking to appoint a specialist consultancy to manage and provide Pre-Application Community Consultation services, to support its Grid Development team with a number of transmission project planning applications in Northern Ireland. This is in relation to The Planning (Development Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 which are in operation since 1st April 2015. Full details here