This snapshot, taken on 02/10/2009, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.
The Government is keen to ensure that large users of gas, who can reduce demand when prices are high by switching to alternative fuels, are enabled to do so. However, this must clearly be subject to consideration of the environmental impacts of such action. In many cases fuel switching is already permissible under the terms of sites' environmental permits; sometimes this is only for a limited number of days per year. In other cases the permit allows fuel switching away from natural gas, but only under certain specified circumstances. There may also be cases where a site's environmental permit makes no provision for the use of fuel other than natural gas even though the site is physically/technically capable of doing so.
Operators should already have requested any necessary changes. However, any operator still interested in pursuing this possibility but who would need a change in the terms of their environmental permit to do so, or who is not clear as to the extent to which their permit allows fuel switching, should contact contact the local office of the authority issuing the permit, typically the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency or Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland but it may be the Local Authority.
It would be helpful to have the following details available when approaching them:
A note on applying to the Environment Agency for additional flexibility, including a summary of process and criteria, and the role of permits, is provided below:
(16KB)
(16KB)