A Self-Supplier is a supplier who uses their own wood to fuel their own biomass boiler. Self-Suppliers are not able to sell their fuel to anyone else. They use their Biomass Suppliers List (BSL) authorisation to claim their Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments.
RHI participants are classified as Self-Suppliers if:
“their installation is less than 1MWth capacity, and if they source woody biomass (which they have the legal right to source, through ownership, rental or other relevant arrangement) from a Permitted Location. Self-Suppliers will also be able to source waste woodfuel directly from the place where it first becomes waste, for use in their installation.”
A Permitted Location is one where the applicant has a right to harvest the solid biomass, whether by virtue of ownership, tenancy or otherwise, and which is no more than 50 miles from the accredited domestic plant in which that biomass is used.
If you are buying in any additional wood to top up your own supply, you must register as a Producer-Trader. If you are unsure whether you should apply as a Self-Supplier or a Producer-Trader, please use the table below, the diagram under the “What supplier type are you” tab on the left hand side, or the Self-Supplier Factsheet under the Documents and Guidance tab.
| Self-Supplier | Producer-Trader |
|---|---|
| Raw Materials Criteria | |
| Sources all wood from a Permitted Location (none purchased) | Purchases in a raw material (i.e. timber) and processes it |
| Sources wood within 50 miles of the boiler in which it is burnt | Can use wood from own woodland but is purchasing some in too |
| Fuel Criteria | |
| Does not sell any of the woodfuel to third parties | Has the option of selling woodfuel on to a third party |
| Is able to purchase fuel from a BSL authorised supplier | Is able to purchase fuel from a BSL authorised supplier |