Glossary of Terms

AD – Anaerobic digestion; the production of methane rich biogas from the process of decomposition in the absence of oxygen

Biogas – Methane-rich gas produced by anaerobic digestion of biodegradable material

Biomass – Renewable fuels derived from purpose grown energy crops and the biodegradable proportion of industrial, municipal, agricultural and forestry residues

BOD –   Biological Oxygen Demand – A measure of the biological strength of waste material

CH₄ – Methane

CHP – Combined Heat & Power; the use of both heat and electrical power from a thermal power station or engine

CNG – Compressed Natural Gas

CO₂ – Carbon dioxide

COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand – A measure of the chemical strength of waste material

DECC – The Department of Energy and Climate Change of the UK Government

DEFRA – The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the UK Government

ECA – Enhanced Capital Allowance – A tax allowance that allows 100% of the cost of an investment to be claimed against tax – applicable to many renewable energy  investments

EA – The Environment Agency; The regulator for the environment, including rivers and waste disposal

EST –  The Energy Saving Trust; a Government organisation to promote energy efficiency to domestic, business, local government and trade sectors

FIT – Feed-in Tariff – A preferential tariff paid for electricity generated from renewable sources

GHG – Greenhouse gases; Gases whose emission contributes to climate change; The Kyoto Protocol identifies these as Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide,  Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons and Sulphur hexafluoride

kW –  Kilowatt (10³ watts, one thousand watts)

kWh – Kilowatt hours

LEG – Licence Exempt Generator; an electricity generator too small (<100MW) to be required to hold a generation licence

MW – Megawatts (10⁶ watts, one thousand kW)

NFFO – Non Fossil Fuel Obligation

N₂O –  Nitrous Oxide (global warming potential = 310 x CO₂)

NOx – Nitrous oxide and other oxides of nitrogen

Ofgem –   The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets; the energy regulator for GB and the RO administrator

R&D – Research & Development

RE –  Renewable energy – Energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment and can be harnessed for human benefit, which are naturally replenished (renewable).

RHI – Renewable Heat Incentive – Similar to FIT but paid for heat rather than electricity

RO; ROS – The Renewables Obligation and the Renewables Obligation(Scotland)

ROC – Renewable Obligation Certificate – The currency of the RO

SCR –  Selective Catalytic Reduction

SEPA – Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

SOx – Sulphur dioxide and other oxides of sulphur

SRO – The Scottish Renewables Order; the equivalent of NFFO in Scotland

SROCs – Scottish ROCs

toe –  Tonne of oil equivalent

Tonne – One thousand kilogrammes

VOC – Volatile Organic Compounds