The Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009 (c. 19) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The act is intended to reduce carbon emissions in England and Wales in order to reduce climate change, to increase the diversity and security of energy supplies, to reduce fuel poverty, and to contribute to meeting the EU 2020 renewable energy targets.Explanatory notes to the Bill, paragraph 5
Purpose The aim of the bill was to remove alleged barriers to support small-scale renewable energy production.
Provisions The act removes the need for planning permission for installations for domestic premises.
Definition and promotion of green energy Sections 1(2) and (3) define the expression "green energy" for the purposes of this act, the definition given being:
The relevant capacities were listed as 5 megawatts for electricity generation and 5 megawatts thermal for the generation of heat.UK Legislation, Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009, section 1(3)
Microgeneration These act makes provision for the promotion of microgeneration and the development of a microgeneration strategy with the existing microgeneration strategy being required to be updated to focus on the existing housing stock. The microgeneration strategy was published in March 2006.Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Microgeneration Strategy: Progress Report, published in June 2008, accessed on 8 March 2025
Commencement Section 6(2) provides that the act came into force at the end of the period of two months that began on the day that it was passed. The word "months" means calendar months.The Interpretation Act 1978, section 5 and Schedule 1 The day (that is to say, 12 November 2009) on which the act was passed (that is to say, received royal assent) is included in the period of two months.Hare v Gocher 2 QB 641, 2 All ER 673; Trow v Ind Coope (West Midlands) Ltd 2 QB 899 at 909, 2 All ER 900, CA. This means that the act came into force on 12 January 2010.
References "Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2009. Sweet & Maxwell. Thomson Reuters. 2010. Volume 1. Chapter 19. pp 19-1 to 19–5. Halsbury's Statutes,
External links The Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009, as amended from the National Archives. The Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009, as originally enacted from the National Archives.