What types of renewable generators can be Commericial Generators?
Our Commercial Generators include solar photovoltaic, small-scale wind, small-scale hydro electric and sustainable biomass generators. Commercial Generators generally have over 75kW installed capacity and export a large amount of electricity which can supply hundreds to thousands of Good Energy customers.
If your generator is outside of the above boundaries then please see what other schemes may be suited to your generator or call 0845 456 1640 for more information.
How do I get permission from my local distribution company to connect to their electricity network?
Before connecting your renewable generator to the local electricity distribution network, you will need to comply with the regulations of your local distribution company. This is a safety regulation that must be complied with and your installer will advise you on this process. Your local distribution company may also be able to advise you.
Do I need an Ofgem-accredited total generation meter?
You will only need an Ofgem-accredited total generation meter if you have any on site use. Otherwise your settlement export meter will act as an Ofgem-accredited total generation meter.
In order to sign up to be a Commercial Generator your renewable generator must be accredited for ROCs, LECs, and REGOs. All renewable generators are now entitled to receive ROCs, but they must have an Ofgem approved total generation meter installed at the inverter and must go through the accreditation process in order to be issued ROCs, LECs and REGOs by Ofgem.
Good Energy does not currently assist in the accreditation process. Accreditation and help documents can be downloaded from Ofgem.
How can I check which Total Generation Meters are Ofgem approved?
A list of Ofgem approved meters can be obtained from www.ofgem.gov.uk or download here.
What happens to the electricity that I generate?
The electricity that you generate is physically added to the local electricity network. This power goes on to supply homes and businesses with renewable electricity.
How much electricity can I expect to Generate and approximately how much will I get paid?
Good Energy pays Commercial Generators an amount for every unit of renewable electricity generated (the ROCs and the REGOs), a payment for all export units (including LECs and Embedded Benefits), and a payment for any Triad bonus generated.
Your installer should be able to estimate your generator’s average annual generation, and how much electricity you may use annually. Once you have a quote from us you can estimate how much you will be paid by Good Energy.
What does the price that Good Energy pays its Commercial Generators consist of?
Payments received on the Commercial Generation scheme are made up of three parts:
- A payment for the Renewable Benefits attached to the renewable electricity generated by your generator. These renewable benefits are known as ROCs and REGOs, and are not a payment for the renewable electricity itself.
- A payment for the exported units of electricity from your generator along with LECs and Embedded Benefits.
- A payment for any Triad generated over the course of a year. However if your generator is not generating during any of the Triad periods then your generator will not earn any triad bonuses.
Once I have signed up, how and when will I be paid?
Commercial Generators are paid separately for Exported units, Renewable Certificates, and any Triad bonus:
- Exported electricity is paid for on a monthly basis in arrears direct to the generators bank account as long as the generator has provided monthly export meter readings.
- Renewable Certificates are paid for in arrears direct to the generators bank account after transfer of certificates to Good Energy as long as the certificates are transferred before the relevant long stop date. Note that Ofgem currently issues renewable certificates between two to three months after the month of generation.
- Triad is paid for after announcement of the Triad periods which is around the end of the year of generation (March to April each year).
Useful Definitions
Connection agreement: Permission from the Local Distribution Company to connect your generator to the local electricity distribution network. There are different connection agreements depending on the installed capacity of your renewable generator; G83 Compliance is for generators less that 16A per phase and G59 is for all other generators.
Embedded Benefits are paid to generators that are connected to the local electricity distribution network rather than the National Grid. These generators do not need to pay charges for using the National transmission network, and supply companies also benefit from avoiding the losses associated with transmitting electricity over long distances.
Export: Refers to any electrical power that is generated by a renewable generator, which is not used on site at the property, but passes onto the local electricity distribution network through a settlement export meter.
Please note that your ‘Export Generation’ figure may be less than your ‘Total Generation’ figure due to any on site demand at your site which decreases the amount of electricity available for export as the generated electricity is preferentially used at your site before it will pass through an export meter.
Half Hourly (HH) Export Meter: An export meter that records the exported units of electricity produced by a generator during every half hour of the day in kWh. HH export meters are required for all generators over 30kW installed capacity, and in some circumstances below 30kW installed capacity.
Import: This relates to the electricity drawn from the national grid (via your local electricity distribution network) which is used at your property. It is measured through an import meter.
Installed capacity: This is the maximum power that can be generated if the generator is working at its full potential, also known as its maximum power rating. It is normally measured in kW or MW. For example, an average solar PV site is about 1 kW and Good Energy’s Delabole wind farm, which supplies 2,500 of our customers is 4 MW (4,000 kW).
Levy Exemption Certificate (LEC): A LEC proves how the electricity was generated and who generated it, thus ensuring that the power comes from a renewable source. LECs are rewarded by Ofgem with every 1 MWh of power exported from a renewable source.
Local Distribution Company: The owner of your local electricity distribution network, including the wires and the meters that connect your property to the national grid.
Long Stop Date: Means the date before which ROCs, LECs and REGOs from the previous year of generation must be transferred to Good Energy in order for the generator to be paid for those ROCs, LECs and REGOs.
Meter Operation and Provision (MOP) Contract: All generators over 30kW installed capacity must arrange for their own MOP contract with a Meter Operator. The MOP contract is for the installation and maintenance of a Half Hourly Export Meter at the site of your generator. Ask your installer for further details of MOP contracts.
Ofgem: Office of Gas and Electricity Markets - the industry regulator. www.ofgem.gov.uk
Ofgem-Accredited Total Generation Meter: A Total Generation Meter that has been accredited by Ofgem to receive payment for all renewable benefits, including ROCs.
On site Demand: On site demand is electricity used by any building or property, normally expressed in kWh or MWh. A normal domestic property would use circa 3-4MWh per year and a small business would use 10-30MWh.
Renewable Benefits: Certificates are issued by Ofgem for each 1 MWh of electricity generated by an accredited renewable generator. These renewable benefits are known as ROCs and REGOs, and are not a payment for the renewable electricity itself, they are a payment for the electricity being generated from a renewable source.
Renewable Accreditation: Good Energy requires all its Commerial Generators to be accredited with Ofgem for Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs), Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs) and Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin’s (REGOs). Before you sign up with us as a Commercial Generator you should have already started the accreditation process. Good Energy does not currently offer advice to generators looking to become accredited for ROCs, LECs and REGOs. Accreditation documents and further information can be downloaded from ofgem here.
Renewable generator: Electricity generation technologies that use renewable resources, such as wind, wave, solar, biomass and small-scale hydro power to generate electricity.
Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs): Awarded by Ofgem with every 1 MWh of power generated from a renewable source. Good Energy uses REGOs to prove that the electricity we supply is 100% renewable. REGO’s currently have no market value.
Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs): Awarded by Ofgem with every 1 MWh of power generated from a renewable source. This value varies each year with normal market forces, just like any other tradable commodity.
ROC & REGO register: Ofgem issues ROCs and REGOs to internet-based registers. Each renewable generator can be issued with a ROC and REGO register unless they nominate a supply company, like Good Energy, to be issued the ROCs and REGOs on their behalf.
Supply number: For each import and export meter registered in the settlement process a unique supply number is issued. Each registered supply number, or meter, incurs a maintenance and operational charge. The supply number is also known as a Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN).
Total Generation: The total amount of renewable electricity generated by a renewable generator, normally expressed in kWh or MWh.
Total Generation Meter: This meter is installed at the inverter (which converts the generators electrical output from DC to AC), to record the total electricity generated by your renewable generator. The meter make and model is normally found on the total generation meter, and the meter serial number is often represented as a barcode under the total generation meter, and is a unique number.
Triad: For generators Triads are a potential bonus for generating at peak demand times throughout the winter period. Triads are the average demand on the national grid during three peak half hours between November and February each year. Each of the three Triads must be separated by at least ten days from each other.
Year of Generation: A year of generation runs from the start of April each year to the end of March the following year.
