What is the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme?

The Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme encourages people and businesses to run projects that reduce emissions or store carbon, for example by:

  • using new technology
  • upgrading equipment
  • changing business practices to improve productivity or energy use
  • changing the way vegetation is managed.
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ACCU

Australian carbon credit units

ACCUs are a key part of the Australian carbon market. Learn about ACCUs and find out how to earn, buy and sell them.
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ACCU

How to participate

Follow these steps to learn how to run an Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme project.
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Project and contract register

Use the ACCU Scheme project and contract register to find out more about the projects being run in Australia.

Go to the register

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ACCU

Eligibility for the ACCU Scheme

Find out the requirements and criteria you must meet to register a project under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme.
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ACCU Scheme methods

Learn about the different methods available for ACCU Scheme projects.
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Carbon abatement contracts

Learn more about the different types of carbon abatement contracts and how they work.
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How it works

Under the ACCU Scheme, participants run projects that reduce or avoid greenhouse emissions (emissions avoidance) or remove and store carbon from the atmosphere (sequestration). Participants can earn one ACCU for every tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO₂-e) emissions their project stores or avoids.

Participants can sell ACCUs on the secondary market or to the Australian Government by entering a carbon abatement contract.

On the secondary market, private buyers purchase ACCUs to voluntarily offset their emissions or meet compliance requirements.

Buyers also include Australia's highest emitting facilities under the Safeguard Mechanism. They're required to keep emissions below set baselines and can do this by buying and surrendering ACCUs. Safeguard facilities can also earn ACCUs by running their own projects.

Who can participate

Individuals, sole traders, companies, local, state and territory government bodies and trusts can participate in the ACCU Scheme.

For example, industry, business, landholders, farmers and First Nations people can run projects to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, avoid emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, or convert methane and more. They can also store carbon or avoid emissions from agricultural activities, including:

  • reforestation
  • revegetation
  • savanna burning
  • managing beef cattle herds
  • restoring blue carbon ecosystems
  • restoring rangelands
  • improving soil carbon
  • protecting native forest or vegetation at risk of clearing.

Find out more about the different project methods.

Non-carbon benefits

As well as earning ACCUs that can be sold to generate income, there are other key benefits for running projects.

These can be environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits and include things like:

  • improving water quality, reducing soil erosion and reducing salinity through revegetation activities
  • improving farm resilience and sustainability by diversifying land use
  • improving farm productivity by replenishing soil's carbon content
  • valuing traditional knowledge of fire management, providing economic opportunities for First Nations communities and reducing late season wildfire damage in savanna areas
  • increasing biodiversity and expanding habitats for native species
  • lowering emissions and reducing energy costs for Australian businesses.

Our role

Independent review of the integrity of Australian carbon credit units

We welcome the report of the Independent Review of ACCUs.

The Australian Government appointed an independent panel to review the integrity of ACCUs under the ACCU Scheme.

The panel concluded that the ACCU Scheme arrangements are essentially sound, incorporating mechanisms for regular review and improvement. The panel recommended a number of changes to clarify governance, improve transparency, facilitate positive project outcomes and co-benefits, and enhance confidence in the integrity and effectiveness of the scheme.

We look forward to assisting the Australian Government with its implementation.

Find out more about the ACCU review on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's website.

We administer the ACCU Scheme by:

  • assessing project applications for registrations
  • assessing project reporting
  • ensuring scheme compliance
  • issuing ACCUs
  • managing carbon abatement contracts
  • publishing the ACCU Scheme project and contract registers.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water oversees the policy of the ACCU Scheme. Read the policy intent on the department’s website.

Case studies

Soil carbon series: Rexton

Australian cattle farmers Tom and Antoinette Archer found that changing management practices and improving their soil health helped to make their land more flood and drought resistant.

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Soil carbon series: Moora Plains

Andrew and Meagan Lawrie’s soil carbon project has helped move their Queensland cattle business forward into the next generation.

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ACCU

Arnhem Land Fire Abatement

Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (ALFA) is the world's first savanna fire abatement project. It benefits the environment, culture, society and the economy.
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Ploughshare revegetation

The Reed family restored their unproductive bushland to its natural ecosystem. It's now fully vegetated and producing carbon credits.

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ACCU
Safeguard
Markets
Media

New large-scale renewables strengthen according to the latest Quarterly Carbon Market Report

24 September 2024
Our quarter 2 report estimates that total added renewable energy capacity could exceed 7 gigawatts (GW) this year.
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ACCU
Audit
News

Second independent review of human-induced regeneration gateway checks

30 August 2024
Associate Professor (Honorary) Cris Brack has completed his second review of human-induced regeneration gateway checks.
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ACCU
Audit
Emissions reduction
News

New audit requirements for low-risk plantation forestry projects

30 August 2024
We’ve reduced the audit requirements for low-risk plantation forestry projects.
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ACCU
Safeguard
Markets
Media

Reformed Safeguard Mechanism drives ACCU demand

14 June 2024
The Australian carbon credit unit (ACCU) market is seeing a shift with regulatory compliance emerging as the primary source of unit cancellation, according to the Clean Energy Regulator’s latest Quarterly Carbon Market Report.
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