The government is expected to retable Energy Bill amendments setting out the early closure of the Renewables Obligation for onshore wind when it passes to the House of Commons, according to sources.
The Energy Bill is currently in the Lords awaiting a third reading, which is scheduled for 2 November.
The third reading is final chance for the Lords to amend the Energy Bill but the government would run the risk of a second defeat for plans to end the RO for onshore wind on 31 March 2016 should amendments be tabled at this stage.
A political insider told reNEWS: “They will retable in the Commons, I imagine. As the Bill is a Lords starter if they put it back in (at the third reading) we can still insist on certain improvements to the grace periods.”
Having passed report stage in the Lords the Energy Bill as it stands contains scant reference to onshore wind.
DECC is yet to respond to a request for a comment about plans to retable RO amendments.
The Parliamentary defeat of DECC’s plans to end the RO a year early gives the government a chance to take into account criticism of grace period criteria during Wednesday’s debate, according to trade body RenewableUK.
RUK director of policy Dr Gordon Edge: “The debate gives the government pause for thought around some of the finer details of grace period eligibility.”
Edge said the delay also gave the government time to reappraise its manifesto pledge to end “new public subsidy for onshore wind”.
He said: “Evidence is stacking up that onshore wind makes sense for consumers. We hope they’ll consider this carefully and make decisions in the long-term interest of bill-payers”.
Image: UK parliament (FreeImages)
