Renewable Energy Certificate of Origin

Summary

The request sought the quantity and cost of Renewable Energy Certificates of Origin purchased by Manx Utilities Authority between 2018 and 2024. The authority disclosed certificate counts and copies for 2020-2023, stating no certificates were required for 2018-2020, but withheld specific purchase costs citing that the information is already reasonably accessible via their website.

Key Facts

• Manx Utilities Authority does not hold information for 2018/19 and 2019/20 as there was no requirement to obtain certificates during those dates.
• Specific purchase costs for the certificates were withheld under Section 20 of the Act because the data is published annually on the Manx Utilities website.
• Certificates provided cover the periods 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24.
• The certificates originate from generating stations in Scotland and England under the REGO scheme.
• The response included 7 pages and 2 documents containing certificate status reports.

Data Disclosed

• 28,494
• 5,000
• 10,703
• 2018/2019
• 2019/2020
• 2020/2021
• 2021/2022
• 2022/2023
• 2023/2024
• 2024-09-10
• 2024-10-03
• Section 20 of the Act
• 1.0000 MWh per Certificate

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Act (Information reasonably accessible)

Original Request

Further to FOI 3963453, MUA stated that 'Green electricity from the interconnector is at a higher cost. Renewable Energy Certificates of Origin are purchased to certify it is green'. For each of the following years 2018/2019 2019/2020 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24: 1. How many Renewable Certificates of Origin were purchased in each year? Please provide copies of the certificates. 2. What is the cost for the purchase of a Renewable Energy Certificate of Origin? If this varies, please provide the price for each certificate, for each year listed above.

Data Tables (11)

Full Response Text

2020-2021 Generating Station Accreditation No. Countr y Schem e Certifica te Statu s Technology Group Generation Type Output Period No. of Certificat es Start Certificate No. End Certificate No. Tormywheel Wind Farm Limited G02561NW SC Scotlan d REG O Retire d Win d Mar-202 2 5,00 0 G02561NWSC000000043601032231 0322 GEN G02561NWSC000000543501032231 0322 GEN Total Retired (1 Records) 5,00 0 Total REGO (1 Records) 5,00 0 1 Records Returned Certificate Status Report Organisation = SmartestEnergy Ltd and Scheme = (REGO) and Status = (Retired) and Status Date from 21/07/2022 This report is updated overnight and does not contain real-time data. Data was valid as at 22/07/2022 05:25:00 Page 1 of 1 Printed: 22/07/2022 12:58:32 MWh per Certificate Issue Date Status Date 1.0000 28/04/2022 21/07/2022 202022021-202202020-- 2021 Generating Station Accreditation No. Countr y Schem e Certificat e Statu s Technology Group Generation Type Output Period No. of Certificat es Start Certificate No. End Certificate No. Copyhold Works (Lakeside) G00863MWE N Englan d REG O Retire d Biodegradab le 01/01/2023 - 31/01/202 3 5,00 0 G00863MWEN000000546101012331 012 3GEN G00863MWEN000001046001012331 012 3GEN Total Retired (1 Records) 5,00 0 Total REGO (1 Records) 5,00 0 1 Records Returned Certificate Status Report Organisation = SmartestEnergy Ltd and Scheme = (REGO) and Status = (Retired) and Status Date from 23/06/2023 This report is updated overnight and does not contain real-time data. Data was valid as at 26/06/2023 04:57:00 Page 1 of 1 Printed: 26/06/2023 17:12:04 MWh per Certificate Issue Date Status Date 1.0000 23/03/2023 23/06/2023 2022-2023 Generating Station Accreditation No. Countr y Schem e Certificat e Statu s Technology Group Generation Type Output Period No. of Certificat es Start Certificate No. End Certificate No. Achany Windfarm G01639NW SC Scotlan d REG O Retire d Win d Oct-202 3 5,00 0 G01639NWSC000000686101102331 1023 GEN G01639NWSC000001186001102331 1023 GEN Achany Windfarm G01639NW SC Scotlan d REG O Retire d Win d Oct-202 3 5,00 0 G01639NWSC000000186101102331 1023 GEN G01639NWSC000000686001102331 1023 GEN Achany Windfarm G01639NW SC Scotlan d REG O Retire d Win d Oct-202 3 70 3 G01639NWSC000000115801102331 1023 GEN G01639NWSC000000186001102331 1023 GEN Total Retired (3 Records) 10,70 3 Total REGO (3 Records) 10,70 3 3 Records Returned Certificate Status Report Organisation = SmartestEnergy Ltd and Scheme = (REGO) and Status = (Retired) and Status Date from 25/06/2024 This report is updated overnight and does not contain real-time data. Data was valid as at 27/06/2024 05:04:00 Page 1 of 1 Printed: 27/06/2024 14:56:31 MWh per Certificate Issue Date Status Date 1.0000 22/12/2023 25/06/2024 1.0000 22/12/2023 25/06/2024 1.0000 22/12/2023 25/06/2024 2023-2024

Manx Utilities PO Box 177, Douglas Isle of Man, IM99 1PS

e: enquiries@manxutilities.im t: 01624 687687 www.manxutilities.im

Our ref: 4114817 3 October 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 10 September 2024, which states:

"Further to FOI 3963453, MUA stated that 'Green electricity from the interconnector is at a higher cost. Renewable Energy Certificates of Origin are purchased to certify it is green'.

For each of the following years

2018/2019 2019/2020 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24:

1. How many Renewable Certificates of Origin were purchased in each year? Please

provide copies of the certificates.

1. What is the cost for the purchase of a Renewable Energy Certificate of Origin? If this

varies, please provide the price for each certificate, for each year listed above."

Our response to your request is as follows: I have enclosed copies of the information.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Utilities does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of information that you have requested, specifically for 2018/19 and 2019/20, as there was no requirement to obtain certificates during these dates.

1. Each Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificate is issued per megawatt hour of eligible output from renewable electricity by accredited generating stations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. However, to advise and assist, this detail is published annually via the Manx Utilities website,

Electric, and Business tariffs – on page 7 of the Guaranteed Green Tariff Report 2023/24.

For the years requested the details are below, and the certificates details attached.

REGO Certificates Issued 2020/2021 28,494 2021/2022 5,000 2022/2023 5,000 2023/2024 10,703

1. The costs associated with purchasing the REGO certificates, can be seen in the table below.
   Cost £ 2020/2021 0.70 2021/2022 4.50 2022/2023 6.00 2023/2024 18.00

For completeness, we have provided information relating to 2020/2021.

Please quote the reference number 4114817 in any future communications.

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More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date. ###