How to Apply for Accreditation
This information is for RET power stations who wish to apply for accreditation to create large-scale generation certificates (LGCs).
What are Large-scale generation certificates (LGCs)?
Large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) are an electronic form of currency created on the REC Registry by eligible entities. An LGC is equivalent to:
- 1 MWh of eligible renewable electricity generated above the RET power station’s renewable energy baseline.
Properly created LGCs are validated by the Clean Energy Regulator and after payment of fees, become registered LGCs. These are then able to be transferred between eligible parties and liable entities for a negotiated price. Payment is arranged outside the REC Registry.
Determining eligibility
Under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (the Act), RET power stations using at least one of the eligible renewable energy sources can become accredited under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET).
A full list of eligible renewable energy sources is available at Section 17 (1) of the Act. Guidance on the eligibility of a number of fuel sources is included in the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 (the Regulations).
Electricity generated from fossil fuels or waste products derived from fossil fuels are not eligible for LGCs.
Co-firing RET power stations that are accredited for renewable energy generation can still use fuels to create electricity, as long as no LGCs are created in respect of the fossil fuel generation.
For a copy of the Act and the Regulations, visit the ComLaw website.
How to apply for accreditation
Once you have determined that you have at least one renewable energy source under Section 17(1) of the Act to be used in your RET power station to generate electricity, the RET power station can be accredited under the Act (subject to demonstrating that all other eligibility requirements are met). To apply you will need to:
1. Become a Registered Person in the online REC Registry
For parties applying for accreditation of a RET power station for the first time, the owner or operator of the RET power station will need to decide who will be the 'Nominated Person'. The Nominated Person will be responsible for liaising with the Clean Energy Regulator, receiving the accreditation code/s and the creation, selling and transferring of LGCs in the REC Registry. The REC Registry is an internet based registry system that:
- Maintains various registers (as set out in the Act)
- Facilitates the creation, registration, transfer and surrender of LGCs if applicable.
You can register to become a Registered Person in the REC Registry as follows:
- Go to the Registration Wizard
- Follow the steps to create an account in the REC Registry and become a Registered Person
- Pay a $20 registration fee to complete the registration process.
- Please DO NOT send any payment to the Clean Energy Regulator.
- Payment of the $20 registration fee is made via your account in the REC Registry.
- The application fee is GST exempt.
Once your application has been approved, you will be allocated a unique registration number.
2. Apply for accreditation
Complete an Application for Accreditation of a Power Station form and send it to the Clean Energy Regulator, at least 6 to 8 weeks prior to commission of the RET power station. You can download the form via the REC Registry Account Wizard or from the RET Power Stations Forms page.
This web page includes explanatory notes to assist you with your application. Also read the information below regarding “RET power station boundaries and components” and “Setting the baseline”.
The completed Application for Accreditation of a Power Station form and copies of all required documentation relevant to the application for accreditation must be mailed to Clean Energy Regulator:
Clean Energy Regulator
Renewable Energy Target
GPO Box 621
Canberra ACT 2601
Applicants will receive notification of receipt.
- Separate application forms are required if seeking accreditation of multiple RET power stations
3. Pay the application fees
The Clean Energy Regulator will notify you in writing when your application is considered to be a properly made application under sections 12A and 13 of the Act.
The REC Registry will send an email to the nominated person asking for payment of the accreditation fee.
- An accreditation fee must be paid prior to a RET power station becoming accredited. The fee varies depending on the size of the RET power station and the complexity of the accreditation process. Accreditation fees are listed in Regulation 28 of the Act.
4. Application assessment
Once the accreditation fee is received by the Clean Energy Regulator, the Regulator will determine matters under section 14 of the Act and either approve or refuse your accreditation of power station application under section 15 of the Act.
The primary contact (which may be different to the REC Registry Registered Person) will be informed through a letter from the Regulator indicating whether or not the application has been successful.
Under section 12C and 15A of the Act, the Regulator must make a decision regarding an application for accreditation within 6 weeks from the time an application is deemed to be properly made (unless otherwise agreed with the applicant for a longer period).
5. Notification of application outcome
If a RET power station is granted accreditation, it will be assigned a unique identification code (Accreditation Code) by the Clean Energy Regulator. The code will form part of the information contained in each large-scale generation certificate (LGC) created by the registered person in the REC Registry under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET). This means that each LGC is identifiable and traceable to an individual RET power station or LGC owner.
The Accreditation Start Date will either be the date the application for accreditation was deemed to be properly made under Section 13 of the Act or the date when the RET power station started generating renewable electricity, whichever is later. LGCs may be created from the accreditation date of the power station or the date renewable energy electricity was generated for the first time, whichever is later.
RET power Station Boundaries and Components
Guidelines are contained in Schedule 1 of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 (the Regulations) regarding which components may be taken to be part of a RET power station. This is not exhaustive and additional components may be considered, by the Regulator, to be part of the power station.
In the application for accreditation of a RET power station, the applicant is required to specify the components of the electricity generation system that the applicant considers to be a single RET power station. The Clean Energy Regulator uses the information provided by the applicant and guidelines under Schedule 1 of the Regulations to determine the components that are to be taken to constitute the accredited RET power station. The accredited RET power station will then be eligible to create large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) if conditions under Section 18 of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (the Act) and Regulations 14 to 16 are satisfied.
Baselines for individual RET power stations are determined and set as part of the RET power station accreditation process. The RET power stations commissioned after 1 January 1997 will have a NIL baseline. If a RET power station is accredited with a nil baseline then all of the eligible renewable electricity delivered to an electricity network or load is eligible for LGCs.
If the RET power station started to generate electricity prior to 1 January 1997 the RET power station will be accredited with a non-zero renewable energy baseline. In this case only the eligible renewable electricity generated above the renewable energy baseline is eligible for LGCs.
The Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (the Act) and the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 (the Regulations) specify that RET power stations must generate renewable electricity above their 1997 eligible renewable power baseline (MWh), before large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) can be created using the formula specified under regulation 14.
Baselines for all accredited RET power stations can be viewed in the REC Registry Register of Accredited Power Stations:
A baseline is determined using a number of factors including:
- the average of renewable electricity generated in the three years prior to 1997;
- seasonal variations;
- major changes to infrastructure;
- demand constraints; and
- other factors as listed under Schedule 3 of the Regulations.
Claiming Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs)
Eligible landfill gas generators can also receive Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) for the reduction of greenhouse gases (methane).
The proponents (owners/operators) of landfill gas sites in Australia can apply to the Clean Energy Regulator to have their offsets project to capture and combust methane from legacy waste (waste deposited before 1 July 2012) declared eligible under section 27 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (the CFI Act).
There are a range of criteria that an offsets project must satisfy including that the project is covered by a methodology determination and passes the additionality test.
A project passes the additionality test if it is not required by law, is of a kind specified in the regulations (known as the positive list) and is not an excluded project (known as the negative list).
Once the project has been declared eligible, the proponent can submit an offsets report (including accompanying audit report) on its activities and apply for ACCUs. The number of ACCUs will be calculated in accordance with the methodology and guidelines for the relevant reporting period. Visit - The Carbon Farming Initiative.
Date last updated: 23 Apr 2012