The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Source: legislation.gov.uk (2025-12-08)

These Regulations amend the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 for the purpose of increasing the tariff for periodic support payments made under the Scheme to accredited small and medium biomass installations. The increases are for heat generated from the date these Regulations come into operation. These Regulations fix the tariffs for these installations for heat generated up to the end of March 2026, and those tariffs will then be adjusted in line with increases or decreases in the consumer prices index to give the tariffs for later financial years. These Regulations also alter the zero tariff for heat produced in excess of the (unchanged) initial heat allowance for a medium biomass installation, and set a cap of 400,000kWhth for a medium biomass installation. The Regulations also include a saving provision in respect of heat generated before these regulations come into operation.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2025 No. 195

Energy

The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025

Laid before the Assembly in draft

Made

1st December 2025

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1

The Department for the Economy (1 (\"#f00001\")) makes the following Regulations in exercise of powers conferred on it by section 113 of the Energy Act 2011(2 (\"#f00002\")).

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 and shall come into operation on the day following the date on which they are approved by resolution of the Assembly.

Interpretation

2.—(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (3 (\"#f00003\")) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

(2) In these Regulations, “the principal Regulations” means the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (4 (\"#f00004\")).

Amendments to the principal Regulations

3. The principal Regulations are amended in accordance with regulations 4 to 6.

4. For regulation 36(7C), substitute –

“(7C) The tariffs for accredited RHI installations, whenever accredited, falling within the small or medium biomass tariffs specified in Schedule 5 –

(a)for the period beginning with the date the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 came into operation and ending with 31st March 2026, are the tariffs specified in Schedule 5;

(b)for each subsequent year commencing with 1st April and ending with the next 31st March, are the tariffs applicable on the immediately preceding 31st March adjusted by the percentage increase or decrease in the consumer prices index for the previous calendar year (the resulting figure being rounded to the tenth of a penny, with any twentieth of a penny being rounded upwards).”

5. For regulation 36(9C), substitute –-

“(9C) Where an accredited RHI installation, whenever accredited, falls within either of the medium biomass tariffs specified in Schedule 5—

(a)the tariff for the initial heat generated by the installation in any 12 month period commencing with, or with the anniversary of, the date of accreditation is the relevant tier 1 tariff specified in Schedule 5;

(b)the tariff for further heat generated in that same 12 month period up to a maximum of 400,000 kWhth is the relevant tier 2 tariff specified in Schedule 5; and

(c)any further heat generated in that same 12 month period shall not be eligible for periodic support payments.”

6. For Schedule 5 (Tariffs for small and medium biomass installations (whenever accredited)), substitute the following–

Regulation 36

“SCHEDULE 5

(Tariffs for small and medium biomass installations (whenever accredited))

Tier 1: 13.8

Tier 2: 4.8

Medium Biomass

(lower capacity)

Tier 1: 6.1

Tier 2: 1.7

Medium Biomass

(upper capacity)

Tier 1: 4.2

Tier 2: 1.5”

Saving provision

7. Notwithstanding regulation 6, Schedule 5, as it had effect immediately before these Regulations came into operation, shall continue to have effect in respect of heat generated before the date these Regulations came into operation as if it had not been amended by these Regulations.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for the Economy on 1 December 2025.

Dr Caoimhe Archibald

Minister for the Economy

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 for the purpose of increasing the tariff for periodic support payments made under the Scheme to accredited small and medium biomass installations. The increases are for heat generated from the date these Regulations come into operation. These Regulations fix the tariffs for these installations for heat generated up to the end of March 2026, and those tariffs will then be adjusted in line with increases or decreases in the consumer prices index to give the tariffs for later financial years. These Regulations also alter the zero tariff for heat produced in excess of the (unchanged) initial heat allowance for a medium biomass installation, and set a cap of 400,000kWhth for a medium biomass installation. The Regulations also include a saving provision in respect of heat generated before these regulations come into operation.

(1)

Formerly the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment; see section 1(3) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 c.5 (NI) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nia/2016/5\").

(2)

2011 c.16 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2011/16\").

(3)

1954 c.33 (N.I.) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/apni/1954/33\")

(4)

S.R. 2012/396 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2012/396\"). The Regulations were amended by S.R. 2014/301 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2014/301\"), S.R. 2015/371 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2015/371\"), S.R. 2016/47 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2016/47\"), S.R. 2017/32 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/nisr/2017/32\"), the Northern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) Act 2018 (c.6) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2018/6\") and the Northern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) Act 2019 (c.13) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2019/13\").