Power stations generating electricity from an eligible renewable energy source can participate in the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET).
To take part, you must apply for power station accreditation.
Once accredited, you can create large-scale generation certificates (LGC) for electricity generated from your power station.
You can sell LGCs:
- to liable entities to meet their obligations under the LRET
- to companies looking to demonstrate their use of renewable energy.
You must comply with obligations to maintain your accreditation.
Accreditation key requirements
The accreditation of a power station is not a licence to operate.
Before applying for accreditation, ensure you meet all key requirements.
Power stations must generate electricity from an eligible renewable energy source.
A power station may still be eligible if it uses both:
- eligible energy sources such as solar, wind and landfill gas
- ineligible energy sources, such as fossil fuels.
You can only create LGCs for electricity generated from eligible energy sources.
Relevant legislation: section 17 of the Act.
Your application must include:
- a list of components
- an electrical single line diagram.
Find out what your application needs regarding power station components and electrical single line diagrams.
Your application must include:
- how electricity meters measure electricity generation
- the power station's LGC method for calculating LGC entitlements.
If you're not the only owner or operator for your power station, you must get approval from other owners or operators before making your application. This ensures all stakeholders are aware and agree to accrediting the power station.
Download the stakeholder agreement form.
Power stations must follow relevant Commonwealth, state, territory and local government planning and approval and operating requirements.
Find out more about planning and operating requirements.
Small generation units upgrading to power stations
Small generation units (SGU) must be 100 kW or less to be eligible for small-scale technology certificates (STC). Systems or existing SGUs expanding over 100 kW are not eligible for STCs under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
We refer to pre-existing SGUs with created and registered STCs as 'credited pre-existing SGUs'.
If you add to a credited pre-existing SGU so the total system capacity exceeds 100 kW, the SGU and additional capacity will form a single power station.
You can only create LGCs for the electricity generated from the additional capacity and not for the electricity generated by the credited pre-existing SGU.
If you're expanding an SGU into a power station, consider that:
- if you claim STCs, they must meet eligibility requirements at the time of SGU installation and creation of STCs
- you can't recreate failed STCs after installing more capacity. The system will no longer meet the SGU requirements for the creation of STCs.
- we will seek evidence that the SGU was 100 kW or less at the time STCs were created if electrical sign-off is completed on the same day as the system expansion occurs.
Evidence may be time stamped photos of connections being made and other commissioning activities.
We acknowledge other installation activities may be underway, but if there is more than 100 kW installed on the day the unit is first able to produce and deliver electricity, that capacity will not be eligible for STCs.
Application requirements
Applications for a site with a credited pre-existing SGU must:
- include a detailed list of the SGU and power station components and electrical single line diagrams
- use the 'Power station name - Solar w SGU - State' naming convention to support LGC claims and identify it as an upgraded SGU in the REC Registry
- show the power station operates following the relevant government planning and approval requirements
- show the power station's capacity is the total of the credited pre-existing SGU and added power station components
- show the separate metering arrangements for the power station components.
Large-scale generation certificate eligibility
You can't claim LGCs for electricity generated from credited pre-existing SGU components. You can only create LGCs from the electricity generated from the added capacity.
To ensure this, meter your power station components eligible for LGCs by themselves. If you meter them together, you may not be eligible.
We can identify if power stations incorrectly claim LGCs.
Read our guides and scenarios about defining small-scale and large-scale solar systems. Our scenarios can help you determine how your systems fit under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme and Large-scale Renewable Energy Target.
Fees
There are fees for a power station accreditation.
| Criteria | 1997 eligible renewable power baseline type | Fee |
| < 10MW, other than small generation unit or solar water heater to which item 1 applies | (a) default or nil baseline | $50 |
| (b) special baseline with data | $150 | |
| (c) special baseline without required data (modelling required) | $250 | |
| ≥ 10 MW to ≤ 25 MW | (a) default or nil baseline | $200 |
| (b) special baseline with data | $500 | |
| (c) special baseline without required data (modelling required) | $1000 | |
| > 25 MW | (a) default or nil baseline | $1000 |
| (b) special baseline with data | $1700 | |
| (c) special baseline without required data (modelling required) | $3000 |