Fuelled stations and fuel measurement and sampling (FMS)

What is FMS?

Fuel measurement and sampling (FMS) is a process that fuelled stations have to follow on a monthly basis to determine both:

  • the number of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROC) to be issued, and
  • which ROC band applies.

FMS procedures are agreed with us during the accreditation process for a generating station. Fuelled stations cannot be accredited until the relevant FMS documentation has been submitted to and agreed with us.

For more detailed information on FMS procedures, please consult the relevant guidance documents below.

FMS Guidance Documents

FMS questionnaires

Depending on the technology and fuels used by your generating station, one of the following documents will need to be submitted alongside an application for the Renewables Obligation (RO). These templates are used to outline how you intend to measure and sample the fuel.

  • Standard FMS questionnaire: This should be completed by operators using solid, liquid or gaseous biomass fuels at their generating station, not using AD or ACT.
  • Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT) FMS questionnaire: This should be completed by operators of ACT (gasification and pyrolysis) stations only.
  • Microgenerator Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT) FMS questionnaire: This should be completed by operators of ACT generating stations with a Declared Net Capacity (DNC) of less than or equal to 50kW only.
  • Anaerobic Digestion (AD) FMS questionnaire: This should be completed by operators of AD stations only.
  • Carbon-14 (14C) FMS questionnaire: This is for generating stations wishing to use carbon-14 techniques to determine the biogenic content of the fuel or fuels used. Please note, as the questionnaire only relates to determining biogenic content it must be submitted alongside another (applicable) FMS document from this list.
  • BIOMA FMS questionnaire: This document should be completed by generating stations proposing to use the BIOMA method to determine the biogenic content of their fuel or fuels. As with the Carbon-14 FMS questionnaire, this questionnaire only relates to determining the biogenic content and should therefore be submitted alongside another (applicable) FMS document from this list.

Sustainability

Fuelled generating stations may be required to report on the sustainability characteristics of fuels used. To ensure compliance in this area, please review the Biomass sustainability page. This page includes further guidance and links to the carbon calculators.

Need help?

If you have a specific query regarding sustainability under the RO, please email Renewable@Ofgem.gov.uk.

If you would like to speak to someone directly, please call the team on 0207 901 7310. Select the option for the Renewables Obligation and ask to speak to a member of the Fuelling and Sustainability team.

If you wish to be added to our stakeholder mailing list, please provide your contact information on via our news and updates subscription pages. You can select ‘Yes’ to ‘Renewable Electricity: Fuelling and Sustainability’ to receive updates.

We host quarterly Fuelling and Sustainability workshops. Aimed at fuelled stations, these will guide you through all the requirements of FMS and Sustainability. Please email us with details of what you are interested in learning more about and when you would like to attend.

Publications and updates