The Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Registry is an online system for Renewable Energy Target participants to create, transfer and surrender renewable energy certificates.
There are 8 types of REC Registry accounts. Each account has different permissions. They all perform various activities and functions in the REC Registry. It's your responsibility to set up the right account.
Some accounts have registration fees.
You don't need a REC Registry account if you assign the right to create small-scale technology certificates (STCs) to an agent.
For more information, refer to registered agents.
Types of accounts
Before you apply, you need to identify the type of account you need.
You can use a general account to:
- transfer STCs and large-scale generation certificates (LGC) in the REC Registry
- voluntarily surrender STCs and LGCs in the REC Registry.
There isn't a cost or fee to have a general account.
You can use a registered person REC Registry account to:
- create STCs and LGCs
- transfer STCs and LGCs in the REC Registry
- voluntarily surrender STCs and LGCs in the REC Registry.
You must pay a one-off $20.00 application fee for this account.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- be a 'legal person'
- complete the proof of identity verification process
- read and understand the eligibility requirements for creating STCs
- follow the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000
- understand that you can assign the right to create STCs to an agent
- provide your GST registration status, if applicable.
You can use a registered agent REC Registry account to:
- create STCs and LGCs for others
- transfer STCs and LGCs for installations in the REC Registry
- voluntarily surrender STCs and LGCs in the REC Registry.
You must pay a one-off $230.00 application fee for this account.
For more information, refer to registered agents.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- have or apply to have a registered person account
- complete the SRES Smart modules
- be a 'legal person'
- complete the proof of identity verification process
- understand the eligibility requirements for creating STCs
- follow the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000
- provide your GST registration status, if applicable.
You can use a liable entity account to transfer and surrender STCs and LGCs in the REC Registry. Surrendering can be voluntary.
There isn't a cost or fee to have a liable entity account.
For more information, refer to liable entities.
Eligibility
To apply for a liable entity account, you must contact us.
For more information, refer to certificate surrender.
You can use the STC clearing house to buy, sell and transfer STCs.
STC clearing house accounts don’t have any associated fees.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this account, you must:
- complete proof of identity verification
- provide GST registration status and bank account details
- have a general REC Registry account.
You can use a power station REC Registry account to gain accreditation as a power station.
This accreditation allows you to generate electricity from eligible energy sources to create LGCs.
For more information, refer to apply for accreditation.
Eligibility
You must contact us to apply for this account.
To be eligible, you must:
- have a registered person account
- be a 'legal person'.
Use a verification service provider account to supply details for approved solar panel serial number ledgers.
There isn't a cost to have this type of account.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this account, you must:
- have a general REC Registry account
- have an Australian presence
- have an Australian business number (ABN).
- provide solar panel serial number data to the ledger
- provide a verification service under the Solar Panel Validation Initiative.
Use a supplier account to supply details for approved solar panel serial number ledgers.
There isn't a cost to have this type of account.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this account, you must:
- have a general REC Registry account
- have an Australian presence
- have an Australian business number (ABN)
- be either an Australian manufacturer or import solar panels that are listed on the Clean Energy Council's approved PV modules list.
The account must be created by the contact person provided to the Clean Energy Council when registering as a manufacturer or importer (responsible supplier).
For more information, refer to manufacturers and importers.
Apply for a REC Registry account
To apply for a REC Registry account:
- identify the type of account you need
- register for an Online Services account
- provide proof of identity
- provide a legal name for the account
- follow the eligibility requirements for the REC Registry account you want.
A REC Registry account name should represent a legal person. A legal person includes:
- an individual recognised by law as a legal person
- a group of people recognised by law to act as one individual.
Non-legal entities can also apply for an account if there’s a legal name in the account name. Account names which include the name of a non-legal person should begin with the name of the legal person, followed by the non-legal entity. They should also match the name on the Australian Securities and Investment Commission register.
For example:
- Solar Works Pty Ltd trading as Gecko Solar
- John Smith acting as trustee for The Bloggs Family Trust
- John and Cynthia Smith (J and C Smith Partnership).
Proof of identity
You must verify your identity by providing identification from 3 different sources. Two sources must come from Category A and one from Category B.
Category A documents include:
- Australian driver’s licence from all states and territories
- Australian passport
- Australian visa with a foreign passport
- birth certificate
- change of name certificate.
Category B documents include:
- Medicare card
- marriage certificate.
If you can’t provide any of the documentation, contact us.
Pay the REC Registry account fee
Some REC Registry accounts have fees. To pay these, you can:
- log in to your account
- select the 'finance' menu heading
- select the 'fees' menu item
- select the fee items you want to pay
- select the 'create payment advice' button.
A payment advice will be created. You can view the payment advice and pay using one of the methods specified.