Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Sustainability Audit
Green Gas Support Scheme Sustainability Audit
Renewables Obligation Order (RO) Sustainability Audit

All three articles of legislation are based on the UK adoption of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). The sustainability criteria comprise of two key elements:

• Greenhouse gas criteria that defines the calculation methodology and threshold
• The land criteria (non-conversion of protected areas, biodiverse areas, peatlands).

The greenhouse gas criteria under The Renewables Obligation Order 2015 specifies the greenhouse gas emission of the fuel and conversion to heat in an installation must be equal to or less than the threshold that ranges for solid and biogas fuelled stations from 50gCo2(eq)/MJ electricity for post-2025 generating stations to 79.2gCo2(eq)/MJ electricity for post-2013. Under the Renewable Heat Incentive, the greenhouse gas value is 24gCO2e/MJ. The Green Gas Support Scheme GHG value is a further reduction to 24gCo2e/MJ.

If the land criteria apply to feedstocks that are not wastes or production residues (e.g. residues from a diary or food production process) then the evidence is required to demonstrate the land was not:

• land which at any time during or after January 2008 was primary forest
• land which at any time during or after January 2008 was land designated for nature protection purposes (unless production of that biomaterial did not interfere with purposes for which this land was designated)
• highly biodiverse grassland, unless the harvesting is necessary to preserve the grassland status
•  land which at any time during January 2008 was peatland (unless the cultivation and harvesting of biomaterial did not involve the drainage of previously undrained soil)
• a former continuously forested area
  • a former wetland area

RHI, GGSS, RO Compliance
Feedstocks used to generate heat and electricity must comply with the sustainability criteria of the three articles of legislation in order to claim renewable energy subsidies.

envirosense® Verification & ISAE Assurance
envirosense® has RHI, RO and GGSS clients all over the UK including some of the biggest generating stations to small facilities generating only 1MW of heat or power. RHI, RO and GGSS-accredited heat and power generating installations require annual independent verification from a third party that can confirm whether they are eligible for the renewable incentives to ensure that the carbon and sustainability criteria are complied with. The independent audit is conducted annually using the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE 3000) framework. envirosense® has been conducting ISAE 3000 assurance engagements since 2012 and was one of the original auditors in the pilot programme with Ofgem in 2014 for the first Renewable Obligation sustainability audits. We can work with your installation or generating station to ensure the Ofgem Sustainability Audit is performed professionally by experienced employees that know exactly how to conduct the work and report to Ofgem.