Energy MarketsEnergy Saving

RO mutualisation: what it is and what it means for your bills?

The Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme encourages investment in renewable generation sources. Introduced in 2002, the RO requires all suppliers to source an increasing proportion of their power from renewable sources

Suppliers fund the scheme but pay for it in arrears – sometimes leaving a shortfall. Due to challenging trading conditions over the last few years, several suppliers have gone out of business.

These suppliers failed to meet their share of the RO, and so left a shortfall in funds above a certain amount known as the Mutualisation Threshold. To cover the deficit, the energy regulator, Ofgem, divided this cost across all participating suppliers.

Mutualisation could still occur in the future if a supplier fails. However, Ofgem now requires suppliers to ringfence RO funds on a quarterly basis. This makes the likelihood and impact of a mutualisation event much smaller. Find out more here.

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