How to have STCs assigned to you as a Registered Agent

• The system must have been installed less than 12 months ago.
• You need to be registered as a Registered Agent with the Clean Energy Regulator.
• The system is fully installed and operational (that is – it must be capable of generating electricity or hot water. It does not need to have been connected to the grid before the STCs can be assigned).
• You have entered into an agreement to have STCs assigned to you in exchange for financial benefit to the owner.
• The STCs must not already been assigned to someone else (for example, to a retailer).

• STCs created by registered agents where the assignment of the STCs had occurred before the completion of the installation will be considered by the Clean Energy Regulator to have been improperly created. 
• For example, this can occur if the STC Assignment Form is signed before the installation is completed.
• Penalties exist for the improper creation of STCs under Subdivision C of the Act. See more information at Compliance.
• All registered agents should ensure their STC Assignment Forms include a declaration that the installation of the unit has been completed.
• If the owner has signed an STC Assignment Form but their system is not yet completely installed and signed off, please contact the RET Compliance section on retcompliance@cleanenergyregulator.gov.au.

1. Receive contact from the owner of a water heater or small-scale solar panel, wind, or hydro system.
2. Determine that the system to be installed is eligible for STCs.
3. Ensure all paperwork is signed and all required documentation is collected.
4. Ensure the system exists and the paperwork accurately reflects the installation that has taken place.
5. Supply an STC Assignment form to the owner.
6. Have the STC Assignment form returned with all required signatures.
7. You are now ready to create STCs against the eligible installation.

Please note that there are penlites involved in providing false information which results in the improper creation of STCs. See the Compliance page for more information.

• STCs must be registered within 12 months of the installation date of the solar hot water, heat pump, small-scale solar panel, hydro, or wind system.
• If this means certificates are being assigned to you for an installation completed in 2010, the certificates will be created as Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) and not Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). 
• This may have an impact on any financial benefit you supply for the assignment.  Please discuss this with your customers prior to accepting the assignment.
• Note that STCs take up to 4 weeks to be validated. Incorrectly-created STCs must be created again in the REC Registry.  If this falls outside the 12 month window, you may not be able to create the certificates.  
• Ensure you have left enough time from the installation date to have the STCs assigned and created.

The Clean Energy Regulator classifies an installation as being complete when:

• All parts of the small-scale solar panel, hydro, or wind system are installed and demonstrated to be capable of producing electricity. 
  • This includes the correct mounting of the solar panels/turbine, the completion of all of the DC wiring between the panels/turbine and the inverter, and the mounting/connecting of any other parts that are required to produce electricity.
  • For grid-connected small-scale solar panel, wind, and hydro systems, the inverter does not need to be connected to a meter or main-grid to be considered installed.
• All parts of the solar water heater or heat pump are installed and demonstrated to be capable of delivering heated water to the property.
  • This includes panels, pumps, tanks, wiring and electrical connection.

Note that:

• For small-scale solar panel, wind, and hydro systems, the inverter does not need to be connected to a meter or main-grid to be considered installed. 
• The date of installation is the day that the final installer completes their job.
• The date of installation is relevant to demonstrate a system’s eligibility to:
  • have STCs created for it (must be within 12 months of the date of installation),
  • claim a particular Solar Credits multiplier (solar panel, wind and hydro systems only).

The Clean Energy Regulator will accept a range of documentation to support installation date claims, as long as that documentation clearly indicates a system that is capable of generating electricity or hot water (as appropriate). 

Such documentation may include, but is not limited to:

• A signed statutory declaration from the homeowner and/or the installer.
• Date-stamped photos of all parts of the completed installation, sent to the Clean Energy Regulator as close to the installation date as possible. (Please note that the Clean Energy Regulator also uses aerial photographs to check on installations).
• Signed and dated Certificates of Electrical Safety and Compliance. The electrician must always sign and date these forms on the day they have completed the installation, although in some States this form is then sent off to a State inspector to sign off at a later date.
• Any other signed and dated documents that demonstrate the completed installation of your system.

Such documentation would be supplied in addition to the normal paperwork requirements. 

Note that if any contradictory evidence is found during an audit, the Clean Energy Regulator could reject any STCs created for that installation, including those created using Solar Credits, requiring their re-submission or even the imposition of penalties, as appropriate.

Ensure that the person signing the STC Assignment Form is legally entitled to sign the form.  There are some circumstances where this may not be clear-cut and there may be a need for parties to seek further advice from the Clean Energy Regulator or, if required, seek their own legal advice.

• The owner of an installation may be the property developer, a builder or the eventual owner of a completed building.
• The property developer or builder could be considered the owner if:
  • a property developer or builder is the owner of the land on which a property has been built; and
  • they have installed an eligible system prior to the final payment for the building and consequent exchange of legal title, regardless of any later sales.
• If a separate individual owns the land and enters into a contract with a builder to develop the property, the contractual arrangement surrounding this arrangement would need to be examined by the Clean Energy Regulator on a case-by-case basis to determine ownership.
• The Clean Energy Regulator recommends that the property developer or agent retain details of the purchaser of the property to assist in audit.

The system must comply with the following requirements in order to be eligible for STCs.

If it is larger than this, it is classified as a power station and LGCs are created against its output. The STCs cannot be assigned to you as the owner must register as a Power Station and create the LGCs themselves.

Anything larger than this is defined as a “power station”.  This includes the installation of additional capacity which may make the new combined system greater than the above capacity. 

What does it mean if it’s a power station?

• The power station owner is eligible to create LGCs against some of the power generated by the system.  They are not able to assign the certificates to you.
• If the owner has added capacity which makes the small-scale system into a power station, they are not eligible to assign STCs for the new part of the system.
• The owner may apply for accreditation of the complete system as a power station. 
• Information on the power station accreditation process is available on the power stations page
• LGCs may not be created for electricity generated by that part of the power station that was the original small-scale system, as the original part will already have had STCs (or RECs) created or assigned against it.
• The owner will need to calculate the proportion of the electricity generated by the original small-scale system and deduct it from the total electricity generated, and only create LGCs against the subsequent amount.

CEC accredited installers are required to:

• Have public liability insurance worth at least $5 (five) million dollars (Australian)
• Be bound by, and comply with, the CEC Code of Conduct in the installation of the small-scale solar panel, wind or hydro system.
• Ensure that the installation has all applicable local and State/Territory Government approval requirements
• Ensure that the SGU and its installation, including wiring, meets relevant Australian Standards, and that key components (such as the inverter) are listed on the Clean Energy Council’s list of approved products.
• Ensure that the mounting and orientation of the SGU are in line with the Clean Energy Council accreditation requirements.
• Supply all relevant documentation to certify correct installation of the SGU.
• Comply with the Regulated requirements for installation of the small-scale solar panel, wind or hydro system, by signing suitable compliance paperwork. 

The Clean Energy Regulator requires written compliance statements to be signed by installers, to include all of the information required to comply with the relevant legislation.

Agents may customise their own combined STC Assignment Forms and written compliance statements to incorporate additional explanatory text, company logos and other features. These are found in the Agent's forms section of the site.

Water heater systems documentation

• Any documentation required by the State to certify installation (for eg: Certificate of Compliance, Installation Report)
• If the unit has a capacity of greater than 700 litres and was installed on or after 9 September 2009, the owner will need:
  • A Statutory Declaration that the unit will remain in its current configuration and location for the life of the system.
  • A second Statutory Declaration stating unit model, storage, location, usage, and appropriateness, and the expertise of the installer.
  • See the Larger Hot Water Systems page for more information.
• If the unit is an air source heat pump with a volumetric capacity over 425 litres that was installed between 29 June and 31 December 2010, the owner must have written evidence of:
  • purchase and/or installation contracts; and
  • the date the purchase and/or installation contracts were entered into. 
  • See the Larger Hot Water Systems page section for more information.

Small-scale solar panel, wind, or hydro systems

Systems installed on or after the below dates require compliance documentation to be signed before you can create STCs in the REC Registry.

• Solar panel installations on or after 20 August 2010
• Hydro and wind installations on or after 20 December 2010
• All installations after 1 January 2011

This documentation must be signed by the installed system’s designer and/or installers, as specified.

List of compliance documentation

• Installer’s statement of CEC accreditation and holding $5 (five) million dollars (Australian) in liability insurance
• Installer’s electrician’s licence. The electrical wiring associated with grid-connected installation of the unit must be undertaken by an electrical worker holding an unrestricted licence for electrical work issued by the State or Territory authority for the place where the unit was installed.
• Site and grid connected written statement. Either the installer or the owner must sign a statement that all required local and state/territory approvals have been met for:
  • The siting of the unit;
  • The attachment of the unit to the building or structure (if the unit is attached);
  • The grid connection of the system (if it is grid connected).
• Unit design and installation statement.  A signed statement that includes the name of the designer and the installer of the unit, and their CEC classification and accreditation number.
• Electrical compliance documentation for the relevant jurisdiction.  Obtain from the installer a copy of any documentation required, by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the unit was installed, certifying that the electrical installation of the unit complies with laws relating to safety and technical standards. This could be in the form of a Certificate of Compliance, Installation Report and Electrician’s Licence.
• Off-grid electrical compliance documentation.  A written statement is required from the installer. The statement must confirm:
  • The unit is off grid; and
  • An electrical worker holding an unrestricted licence for electrical work issued by the State or Territory Authority for the place where the unit was installed undertook all wiring of the unit that involves:
    • alternating current of 50 or more volts; or
    • direct current of 120 or more volts.
• On-site statement.  A written and signed statement that the installer/supervisor has physically attended the installation made in their name.  This statement should be signed by the owner to certify physical attendance.
• Out-of-pocket expenses documentation.  All documentation that supports the figure supplied as the final out-of-pocket expense of the SGU to the owner.
• Any other statements contained in the sample written compliance statements as they are updated from time to time.
• Documentation certifying adherence to Australian/New Zealand Standards relating to installation of small-scale generation systems:
  • AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules
  • AS/NZS 1768 Lightning Protection
  • AS/NZS 5033 Installation of photovoltaic (PV) arrays
  • AS/NZS 1170.2 Structural design actions, Part 2: Wind actions
  • AS/NZS 5033 Compliant PV modules
  • Tested and Approved Grid Connected Inverters
  • AS/NZS: 4509.1 Stand-alone power systems, Part 1: Safety and Installation
  • AS 4086.2 Secondary batteries for use with standard-alone power systems, Part 2: Installation and Maintenance

You must have a REC Registry account in order to create STCs.  This must be a Registered Agent’s account.

With this account you can:

• create LGCs and STCs for installations on behalf of others.
• transfer LGCs and STCs for installations in the REC Registry.
• voluntarily surrender LGCs and STCs in the REC Registry (this usually applies to RET liable entities).
• use the bulk upload function to create certificates for multiple installations in one go.

This account requires you to:

• register in the REC Registry.
• fit the criteria of being a Legal Person.
• complete the Proof of Identity verification process.
• be aware of the eligibility requirements for creating STCs for Solar Water Heaters and Small Generation Units prior to registration.
• be aware of penalties involved in breaching the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000. See the Compliance page for further information.
• pay the non-refundable fee of $250 ($20 Registered Persons fee plus $230 Agent's Fee). The fee is GST exempt.

Before you register, please be aware of the following:

• Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are not a rebate, and completing this registration process is not an application for a Government rebate. You will not qualify for any financial recompense at the completion of this process.
• STCs in the STC Clearing House could take up to 12 months or more to clear.
• If you require rapid financial recompense for your certificates, you may sell STCs on the open market.
• Registration is the first of a 6-step process that has significant administrative requirements, legal implications, and may involve fees.
• The process covers:
  1. Determination of your required account type (online) and acknowledgement of your legal requirements under the Act as a registered user of the REC Registry.
  2. Proof of Identity verification (online).
  3. Initial creation of REC Registry account (online).
  4. Payment of REC Registry fees (if required) and granting of additional required access (manually vetted by the Clean Energy Regulator staff - may take up to 8 weeks. The Clean Energy Regulator will contact you if more information is required. Do not submit multiple applications.).
  5. Registration of installation/s and creation of STCs (online but all administrative requirements must be complied with).
  6. Sale of your STCs either through the open market or the STC Clearing House, and receipt of their sale price.

Calculators are available on the REC Registry website.  You do not need to have registered in the REC Registry to use these. The calculators also factor in the multiplied certificates under the Solar Credits mechanism. For more information on Solar Credits visit the Solar Credits page.

• Solar Hot Water and heat pump calculator
• Small-scale solar panel, wind, and hydro calculator

You can calculate the STCs for a small-scale solar panel, wind or hydro system yourself, using the detailed calculations on the STC Calculations page.

Water heater systems

STCs can only be created once for a solar water heater or heat pump and are calculated for the life of the system, which is deemed to be 10 years.

Small-scale solar panel, wind, or hydro systems

STCs may be created for small-scale solar panel, wind, or hydro systems in batches, for 1, 5 or 15 year deeming periods, depending on the particular installation. A majority of owners choose to opt for the maximum deeming period to claim the maximum number of STCs.

STCs may be created for solar (photovoltaic) panel systems either:

• annually; or
• on installation for the first 5 years after installation (the deeming period) and then at the start of each subsequent 5 year deeming period; or
• on installation for 15 years (the deeming period), after which no further STCs may be created.

STCs may be created for wind and hydro systems either:

• annually; or
• on installation for the first 5 years after the installation (the deeming period) and then at the start of each subsequent 5 year deeming period.

• Please note that Regulation 20 (1)(b) requires the rated kilowatts-peak (kWp) of the system is to be used to determine the number of certificates a solar PV system is entitled to.
• In the case where the rated output of PV array is equal to or less than the peak rated output of the inverter, then the rated output of the panels is to be used.
• In the case where the rated output of the PV array is greater than the peak rated output of the inverter, then to be eligible for certificates the system must comply with the recommendations stated in the Clean Energy Council’s Grid-connect Design Guidelines.
• As per Regulation 20AC (5)(a)(iv), any non-compliance with the CEC Code of Conduct (which includes all CEC guidelines) will be seen as an improper creation of certificates and may be failed.
• the Clean Energy Regulator monitors and enforces the above guidelines.

Solar Credits is a mechanism which multiplies the number of STCs able to be created for eligible installations of small-scale solar panel, wind, and hydro systems (SGUs).  

• Solar Credits are not means tested.
• Solar Credits apply to the first :
  • 1.5 kilowatts (kW) of on-grid capacity installed in an eligible premises OR
  • 20kW of capacity for off-grid systems.
• Generation from capacity above 1.5 kW (on-grid) or 20kW (off-grid), either on the original unit or on any additional capacity installed at a later date, will still be eligible for the standard 1:1 rate of STC creation.
• Solar Credits apply to all small-scale installations.
• Solar Credits is not available if financial assistance under the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program has been provided for the unit or if any other unit at the eligible premises has been provided financial assistance by that program.

The SGU must comply with all eligibility criteria, summarised below.  See the full Solar Credits page for more detail.

• The unit is installed at eligible premises between 9 June 2009 and 30 June 2013;
• At the time the unit is installed, there is no pre-approval or funding agreement in force under the Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP), the Renewable Remote Power Generation (RRPGP), or the National Solar Schools Program (NSSP) and no financial assistance has been provided in respect of the unit under the SHCP, the RRPGP or the NSSP (see the Climate Change website for more information on these schemes);
• At the time the unit is installed, financial assistance under the SHCP, the Photovoltaic Rebate Programme (PVRP), the RRPGP or the NSSP has not been approved or provided in respect of any other SGU at the same location;
• The SGU is a new and complete unit. A unit is complete if:
  • it is capable of generating electricity in a form that is usable at the eligible premises where it is installed without the need for an additional part or parts to be added to or incorporated into the unit.
  • it is wired directly to the premises where it is installed, so that its output is capable of being metered at the premises or the unit includes a meter that is dedicated to measuring its electricity output.
• At the time of  STC creation in the Registry, Solar Credits have not been claimed on any previous set of certificates created for the same unit – for eg, on  STCs submitted for previous deeming periods (only applicable if you have chosen 1 or 5 year deeming periods).   STCs for subsequent deeming periods are created at 1:1 value.
  • If the  STCs are being claimed on the first 1.5 kW of the rated power output of the unit (on-grid) or the first 20kW of the rated power output of the unit (off-grid). 
    certificates for power above these amounts and under 100 kW are created at 1:1 value.  (Higher-rated units may be classified as Power Stations).

• If a system is not eligible for Solar Credits the system can still create LGCs/STCs with the standard 1:1 rate of certificate calculation.