Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 205 to Question 19617, what level of detail would not risk potential disclosure of confidential information consequent upon the listing of overspend against original estimates within the levy control framework arising from each of (a) performance of offshore wind, (b) levels between strike price and reference price and (v) variations in allocations of feed-in tariff payments for solar PV installations.

In addition to the information previously identified (e.g. fossil fuel prices, electricity demand), many other assumptions that underpin Levy Control Framework (LCF) forecasts are already in the public domain.

For example, strike prices for signed Contracts for Difference are available on the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) website, Renewable Obligation and Feed in Tariff Scheme deployment data is published monthly on the Renewable Energy Planning Database and Ofgem’s website respectively, with latest technology-level data on load factors published as part of DECC’s Energy Trends series.[1] Scheme-specific assumptions are also published for the Renewables Obligation (when setting the level of the Obligation[2]), Feed-in Tariffs (as part of the recently-published Review[3]) and the CfD (as part of the Allocation Framework notice[4]).

We are unable to release some commercially sensitive data, particularly where it would affect specific projects or companies (e.g. projected load factors or the exact commissioningdates). Doing so could undermine potential future CfD competition. We will publish an updated set of LCF projections, as well as the technology and scheme-specific assumptions underpinning the latest forecasts, in due course.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-trends-december-2015

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewables-obligation-level-calculations201617

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-review-of-the-feed-in-tariff-scheme

[4] Appendix 3 of https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/404419/Contract_for_Difference_Final_Allocation_Framework_for_the_October_2014_Allocation_Round_1_September_2014.pdf