Reports this morning have seen the term 'statistical trading' reemerge two years after it was first discussed by the Department for Energy and Climate Change as a possible option for if the UK looked as if it was to miss its binding 2020 renewable energy targets.
With that outcome now looking increasingly likely – and DECC's proposed cuts to onshore wind and solar doing nothing to help – the department has said it cannot rule out adopting the process in the future meaning the UK could effectively buy its way out of being fined.