Regulation 22 Applications for accreditation

(1)

An owner of an eligible installation may apply for that installation to be accredited.

(2)

All applications for accreditation must be made in writing to the Department and must be supported by—

(a)

such of the information specified in Schedule 1 as the Department may require;

(b)

a declaration that the information provided by the applicant is accurate to the best of the applicant’s knowledge and belief;

(c)

a declaration that the applicant is the owner, or one of the owners, of the eligible installation for which accreditation is being sought.

(3)

The Department may, where an eligible installation is owned by more than one person, require that—

(a)

an application submitted under this regulation is made by only one of those owners;

(b)

the applicant has the authority from all other owners to be the participant for the purposes of the scheme; and

(c)

the applicant provides to the Department, in such manner and form as the Department may request, evidence of that authority.

(4)

Before accrediting an eligible installation, the Department may arrange for a site inspection to be carried out in order to satisfy itself that a plant should be accredited.

(5)

The Department may, in granting accreditation, attach such conditions as it considers to be appropriate.

(6)

Where an application for accreditation has, in the Department’s opinion, been properly made in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) and the Department is satisfied that the plant is an eligible installation the Department must (subject to regulation 23 and regulation 46(3))—

(a)

accredit the eligible installation;

(b)

notify the applicant in writing that the application has been successful;

(c)

enter on a central register maintained by the Department the applicant’s name and such other information as the Department considers necessary for the proper administration of the scheme;

(d)

notify the applicant of any conditions attached to the accreditation;

(e)

in relation to an applicant who is or will be generating heat from solid biomass, having regard to the information provided by the applicant, specify by notice to the applicant which of regulations 28 or 29 applies;

(f)

provide the applicant with a written statement (“statement of eligibility”) including the following information—

(i)

the date of accreditation;

(ii)

the applicable tariff;

(iii)

the process and timing for providing meter readings;

(iv)

details of the frequency and timetable for payments; and

(v)

the tariff lifetime and tariff end date.

(7)

Where the Department does not accredit a plant it must notify the applicant in writing that the application for accreditation has been rejected, giving reasons.

(8)

Once a specification made in accordance with paragraph (6)(e) has been notified to an applicant, it cannot be changed except where the Department considers that an error has been made or on the receipt of new information by the Department which demonstrates that the specification should be changed.