The first mandatory reporting of corporate greenhouse emissions and energy consumption falls due on the 31st October 2009. Whilst the top 1000 companies may know their compliance some of the companies that will be captured next year are still unaware of their liabilities. We help companies invest in energy conservation strategies to stay out of the reporting thresholds, saving time and money.

The Regulator has tightened the obligations to installers for the creation of RECs. These rules apply to the installation of PV from 1/11/2010 and wind and micro hydro installations from 19/12/2010. We will be sending a second compliance document to go with the Greenbank REC assignment forms in the near future.

To create RECs installer is bound to and must have:

- Provide proof of $5M Public Liability
- The Clean Energy Councils' Code of Conduct
- Has complied with that Code of Conduct for this installation
- Provide a written statement that the installation complies with the following standards
- Supply the out of pocket expense to the owner associated with the purchase, installation and grid-connection of the SGU.

where applicable:

- AS/NZS 300022:2007, Wiring Rules
- AS/NZS1768:2007, Lightning Protection
- AS 4777:2005 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters
- AS/NZS 5033:2005, Installation of photovoltaic (PV) arrays
- AS/NZS 1170:2002 Structural Design actions, Part 2: Wind Action (PV Array)
- AS/NZS 4509:2009 Standalone Power systems, Part 1: Safety and installation
- AS 4086.2: 1997 Secondary batteries for use with standalone power systems, Part 2 Installation and maintenance
- The PV modules used are AS/NZS 5033 compliant and product is listed at theClean Energy Council
- Tested and approved inverters are also listed at theClean Energy Council
- AS/NZS 1170.2:2002 Structural design actions, Part 2 Wind actions; for wind turbines
- As/NZS 4509.1:2009, Stand alone power systems Part 1: Safety and installation for wind turbines
- AS 4086.2:1997 Secondary batteries for use with standalone power systems, Part 2: Installation and maintenance, wind system

Recently implemented legislation includes provisions to increase the kilowatt (kW) capacity limit for which the Solar Credits multiplier applies in relation to off-grid small generation unit installations up to the first 20kW of a system capacity subject to an annual cap in the total number of certificates created.

Under the amendments SGU's are eligible for Solar Credits RECs up to the first 20kW of system capacity if:
- The system is defined as an off-grid small generation unit
- The system is installed after 28 June 2010 and before 1 July 2015
- System & premise must be eligible for Solar Credits
- RECs are created before the annual financial year cap is met for installations which occur in that financial year
*Where these requirements are met the effect of the regulations is that the current solar credits multiplier applies to the first 20kW of system capacity rather than only the first 1.5kW.

Definition of off-grid:
Off-grid SGU's are defined by subsection 23B(3B) of the Act as an SGU installed at least 1 kilometre from the nearest main grid line or an SGU less than 1 kilometre from a main grid line where the owner has provided written evidence from the local network service provider that the total cost of connecting the SGU to the main-grid is more than $30,000.

The following grids are considered to be main grids:
- National Electricity Market (NEM) grid (Eastern States)
- Mt Isa Grid (QLD)
- Alice Springs Grid (Northern Territory)
- Darwin-Katherine Grid (Northern Territory)
- South Western Interconnected System (Perth, Western Australia)
- North Western Interconnected System (Pilbara, Western Australia)
- Mount Keith Leinster Grid (Western Australia)
- Gove Grid (Northern Territory)
- Telfer Grid (Western Australia) 

Under new legislation, air source heat pumps with a volumetric capacity over 425 litres are excluded from creating RECs if installed on or after 29 June 2010.

This does not apply if:
- The system is installed before 29th June 2010
- Is installed before 1 January 2011 IF:
* before 24 June 2010, the acquirer of the air source heat pump entered into a contract for the acquisition or installation of the air source heat pump; and
*written evidence of the contract is provided to the Regulator; and either
(a) before 24 June 2010, the acquirer paid some or all of the amount payable by the acquirer under the contract and a record from a bank or other financial institution that provides evidence that the payment was made prior to 24 June 2010 is to be provided to the Regulator
(b) the acquirer and any other party to the contract verify , by statutory declaration, that the date of the contract was before 24 June 2010, and a copy of the declaration is provided to the regulator.

Air source heat pumps with a volumetric capacity over 425 litres that are installed on or after 1 January 2011 are not eligible for RECs regardless of any previous contract dates.

Air source heat pumps installed between 29 June 2010 - 31 December 2010 with a volumetric capacity of over 425 litres will be audited by ORER staff to ensure that all of the relevant requirements are met.