Consultation on additional Renewable Energy Target issues

COAG review of specific Renewable Energy Target issues

As part of the process of designing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to examine further some of the eligibility provisions of the RET for new small‑scale technologies as well as heat pumps and rules for off-grid resource projects to ensure that the eligibility rules remain relevant over time to reflect new technologies and recent developments in renewable technology and resource project development structures.

Following discussions on the RET legislation, the COAG review is also to consider whether it would be feasible to introduce a measure to provide support to off-grid renewable generation within the RET.

To inform the Review, the COAG Renewable Energy Sub Group released three short discussion papers seeking stakeholder input on the issues being considered:

Discussion paper 1: Eligibility of new small-scale technologies and heat pumps (PDF 215 kB)

Discussion paper 2: Self-generation provisions under the expanded national RET scheme (PDF 245 kB)

Discussion paper 3: Support for small-scale off-grid renewable generation (PDF 271 kB)

Further, as an outcome of negotiations on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in November 2009, the Commonwealth Government agreed that the review would also look at whether new waste coal mine gas projects should be eligible under the RET, and whether annual targets under the RET should be increased to offset additional RECs not backed by generation as part of the ‘Solar Credits’ mechanism.

Further, as an outcome of negotiations on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in November 2009, the Commonwealth Government agreed that the review would also look at whether new waste coal mine gas projects should be eligible under the RET, and whether annual targets under the RET should be increased to offset additional RECs not backed by generation as part of the ‘Solar Credits’ mechanism.

A further two discussion papers were released seeking stakeholder input:

Discussion Paper 4: Treatment of new waste coal mine gas power generation in the RET (PDF 58 kB)

Discussion Paper 5: Treatment of 'Solar Credits' Renewable Energy Certificates under the RET (PDF 65 KB)

Public consultation on these issues has now closed.

Submissions received to Discussion papers 1, 2 and 3

  1. Solar Centre
  2. Solar Energy Industries Association Incorporated
  3. Residential Solar Systems Pty Ltd
  4. Roberts, Mr Chris
  5. BigRed Renewable Pty Ltd
  6. Ande Bunbury Architects
  7. Rainbow Power Company Ltd
  8. Sun Power Mackay
  9. Nowearji domestic
  10. Craig Walters
  11. LMS Generation Pty Ltd
  12. LMS Generation Pty Ltd
  13. Energy Management Solutions Australia
  14. SMARTimbers Cooperative
  15. SMARTimbers Cooperative
  16. SMARTimbers Cooperative
  17. Australian Geothermal Energy Group
  18. North Coast Power Systems
  19. Remote Area Power Pumping& Solar Systems
  20. Azure Energy
  21. Micro energy systems Australia
  22. Sunsparks Electrics
  23. Integrated renewable energy solutions pty ltd
  24. Pacific Hydro
  25. Pacific Hydro
  26. Dr. A. Barrie Pittock
  27. Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd
  28. Barry Harding
  29. Port Phillip Environment Working Group
  30. Comet Windmills Australia Pty Ltd
  31. Statula Industries
  32. Origin Energy Limited
  33. Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA
  34. Suzlon Energy Australia
  35. University of NSW
  36. Enact Energy Pty Ltd
  37. Tony Fenton
  38. Rheem Australia Pty Ltd
  39. Group submission:
    • Bushlight - National
    • CAT Projects (Centre for Appropriate Technology) – National
    • Solar Power Specialists – Queensland
    • Evolve Energy – Queensland
    • Ergon Energy – Queensland.
  40. TRU Energy
  41. Geothermal Power P/L
  42. Dr. Kenneth C Brown
  43. Dr. Kenneth C Brown
  44. Peter Sachs Industries Pty Ltd
  45. WA SEA
  46. WA SEA
  47. WA SEA
  48. Yasir Assam
  49. AGL Energy
  50. AGL Energy
  51. AGL Energy
  52. BP Solar
  53. Joint submission:
    • Alternative Technology Association
    • Environment Victoria
  54. Hydrotasmania
  55. Western Australian Geothermal Centre of Excellence
  56. Australian Geothermal Energy Association
  57. Greenbank Environmental
  58. Vestas Australian Wind Technology Pty Ltd
  59. Direct Energy
  60. Solar Thermal Association
  61. Hepburn Wind
  62. Hepburn Wind
  63. Electricity Markets Research Institute
  64. RES Australia Pty Ltd
  65. Going Solar
  66. University of South Australia/Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies
  67. The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA
  68. Enersalt Pty Ltd
  69. Enersalt Pty Ltd
  70. CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
  71. Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
  72. The Drilling Group
  73. Portland Sustainability Group
  74. Australian PV Association
  75. Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES)
  76. Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES)
  77. Clean Energy Council
  78. Analytico Pty Ltd
  79. Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES)
  80. Dingo Solar
  81. Tim Kelly
  82. Tim Kelly
  83. Nielsen Electronic Systems P/L
  84. COGEN Microsystems
  85. Erich S Heinzle

Submissions received to discussion papers 4 and 5

  1. Enersalt (Discussion paper 4)
  2. Enersalt (Discussion paper 5)
  3. Segway Solar
  4. Kevin Tory
  5. Griffin Energy
  6. Jacqueline Lawrence
  7. General Electric
  8. Portland Sustainability Group
  9. Target 300
  10. LMS Generation (Discussion paper 4)
  11. LMS Generation (Discussion paper 5)
  12. NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative Limited
  13. SunWiz
  14. WWF-Australia
  15. Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle
  16. Water and Energy Savers
  17. Craig Carter
  18. Engineers Australia (Discussion paper 4)
  19. Engineers Australia (Discussion paper 5)
  20. Stefan Brey
  21. Energy Supply Association of Australia
  22. Union Fenosa Wind Australia (Discussion paper 4)
  23. Union Fenosa Wind Australia (Discussion paper 5)
  24. Australian Solar Energy Society
  25. Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action
  26. Australian PV Association 
  27. IPSOS Renewable and Energy2C
  28. Verve Energy 
  29. AGL Energy (Discussion paper 4)
  30. AGL Energy (Discussion paper 5)
  31. TruEnergy
  32. Pacific Hydro 
  33. Justice and international Mission Unit, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia
  34. Hydro Tasmania
  35. Visy
  36. Bioenergy Australia
  37. Darebin City Council
  38. Greenpeace Australia Pacific
  39. Epuron
  40. AIGN
  41. Suzlon Energy
  42. RES Australia
  43. A3P
  44. Rio Tinto (Discussion paper 5)
  45. Rio Tinto (Discussion paper 4)
  46. COZero
  47. Australian Ethical Investment Fund (Discussion paper 4)
  48. Australian Ethical Investment Fund (Discussion paper 5)
  49. The Australia Institute
  50. Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (Discussion paper 4)
  51. Tim Kelly (Discussion paper 4)
  52. Tim Kelly (Discussion paper 5)
  53. The Alternative Technology Association
  54. Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (Discussion paper 5)
  55. green made easy
  56. CSR (Discussion paper 4)
  57. CSR (Discussion paper 5)
  58. Karen Retra
  59. Clean Energy Council (Discussion paper 4)
  60. Clean Energy Council (Discussion paper 5)
  61. Vestas Wind Systems
  62. Moreland Energy Foundation Limited
  63. General Electric Energy
  64. Australian Sugar Milling Council (Discussion paper 4)
  65. Australian Sugar Milling Council (Discussion paper 5)
  66. Roaring 40s
  67. Hepburn Wind
  68. BP Solar
  69. BREAZE
  70. Australian Coal Association
  71. Investor Group on Climate Change
  72. Origin Energy
  73. National Generators Forum
  74. Delta Electricity
  75. Green Energy Trading
  76. CFMEU