An aggregated small energy users project involves you working with large numbers of small energy users who are mostly households and small businesses. The design of the project may require the participation of tens of thousands of small energy users. There will be two groups:

  • a treatment group that has access to your goods and services to try to reduce their energy use, and
  • a control group that has no such access.

Control and treatment group site are referred to as ‘populations’. Individual households are allocated to each group at random, using a statistically valid sample process.

You can choose the goods or services you offer to the treatment group to reduce emissions from grid electricity and natural gas consumption. You might make changes directly, for example by installing new equipment in buildings, or indirectly, for example by providing information to treatment group households or small businesses on the benefits of energy-saving activities. No changes to affect emissions can be made directly or indirectly to the control group during the project.

Legal right in an aggregated small energy users project

You will need access to the energy consumption data for both the treatment and control groups, for example through an agreement to access the billing data of an electricity utility or through an energy monitoring program. You must have the exclusive right to use the energy consumption data for an Emissions Reduction Fund project and in compliance with the privacy requirements under which the data were collected.

The aggregated small energy users project allows for a wide range of activities, within the following broad categories:

  • information about energy consumer behaviour, or opportunities to reduce emissions from energy consumption
  • installing, removing or making changes to equipment, such as replacing inefficient light bulbs
  • making changes to the way equipment is used, such as installing standby power controllers for television and audio visual equipment
  • installing, removing or making changes to parts of the building, such as installing draft seals on external doors, or
  • changing the energy source used to power equipment at treatment group sites, such as installing new efficient gas heaters (both electricity and gas would need to be monitored as part of the project) .

Details of what is required for an aggregated small energy users project to be considered eligible by the Clean Energy Regulator are in parts two and three of the method and explanatory statement.   

Measurement and reporting periods in an aggregated small energy users project

A measurement period under the aggregated small energy users method refers to the period that energy consumption is measured and emissions reductions are calculated.  

Measurement periods run for one year, with the exception of the final measurement period, which may run for one to two years to align with the end of the project’s seven year crediting period. You can choose when the first measurement period for a population starts during the period. Subsequent measurement periods start immediately after the previous measurement period ends.  

To receive ACCUs, a participant must submit reports to the Clean Energy Regulator. The Act gives provision for reporting periods of up to two years, which means that a reporting period may comprise one measurement period or two one-year measurement periods (covering two consecutive years).