Accredited Certificate Providers

The Act and Regulation describe the core eligibility requirements for becoming an Accredited Certificate Provider (ACP).   Becoming an ACP is voluntary.  In order to become an ACP a person must first apply to the Scheme Administrator.

The Scheme Administrator determines an application for accreditation based on a number of criteria which are detailed in the ESS Application Form and ESS Application Guide. 

To apply, an applicant must lodge an application fee of $500 with the Scheme Administrator.  Once accredited, an ACP will be subject to a number of Conditions of Accreditation which outline their responsibilities as determined by the Act, Regulation and scheme Rule.

The ESS Rule establishes two criteria for being an ACP:

The Energy Saver is the person responsible for the payment for energy consumed. This is normally the person whose name appears on the electricity account, or is a person eligible to act on their behalf.

The person who pays the electricity bills may choose to give written permission to someone else to create ESCs on their behalf through the process of nominating them to be the Energy Saver.

For the purposes of the ESS, an ACP will either be the original Energy Saver or will be a nominated Energy Saver.

The process of nomination is outlined in the ESS Application Guide.

The guide contains standard words that should be used be an ACP for the purposes of gaining nominations.

While the benefit of the nomination flows to the nominated Energy Saver, so does the burden. The nominated Energy Saver must ensure the Recognised Energy Savings Activity (RESA) is properly implemented, must keep records of their actions and must fulfil the requirements of the Act, Regulations and the Rule to the satisfaction of the Scheme Administrator.

Recognised Energy Savings Activities are the specific activities implemented by the Energy Saver to reduce the consumption of electricity or increase the efficiency of electricity consumption.

To be eligible, a RESA must have been implemented on or after 1 July 2008.

Importantly, a RESA does not include an activity that has been undertaken to comply with any Statutory Requirement.  This ensures there is regulatory additionality in the ESS.  Green Power is also excluded from the ESS as the benefit is already accounted for by the energy retailer.  And finally, a RESA cannot reduce the scope or quantity of production or service from the use of electricity.  Closing part of a factory, for example, would not qualify as a RESA under the ESS.

RESAs are described in the Activities section of the website.

Further information about the compliance obligations on ACPs can be found here.