The Emissions Reduction Fund is a voluntary scheme that aims to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by providing incentives for a range of organisations and individuals to adopt new practices and technologies to reduce their emissions.
Emissions Reduction Fund projects must be conducted according to an approved method. A number of activities are eligible under the scheme. Individuals and organisations taking part in these activities may be able to earn Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs). One ACCU is earned for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2-e) stored or avoided by a project. ACCUs may be sold to generate additional income, either to the government through a Carbon Abatement Contract, or on the secondary market.
Why participate?
As well as contributing to Australia's efforts to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas entering the atmosphere and the opportunity to earn ACCUs, running an Emissions Reduction Fund project may offer a range of other benefits for scheme participants. Examples include increases in biodiversity, better air quality, reduced energy consumption or income from electricity generation exported into the grid. A reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fertiliser in irrigated cotton method (irrigated cotton) project may help growers increase profits by optimising fertiliser costs, by increasing lint cotton yield or both.