Australia launches Guarantee of Origin scheme, paving way for green exports and RET replacement

A voluntary national emissions certification scheme that will guarantee the renewable energy provenance of exports, including green hydrogen, and of electrons generated in Australia, has been officially launched by the Clean Energy Regulator.

The Guarantee of Origin (GO) is designed to verify the use of renewable energy and low emissions products and has been developed by the federal government to be a key plank of its Future Made in Australia program to boost local clean manufacturing.

It will launch under two branches: Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO) and Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO).

Under the PGO side of the scheme, certificates will record the emissions intensity and key attributes of Australian made products like green hydrogen and metals. It also enables access to government incentives like Hydrogen Headstart and the Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive.

The REGO tranche, meanwhile, has been touted as the successor to the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme, which is currently being phased out by 2030.

The CER says the REGO will provide an “enduring and extended framework” for the certification of renewable electricity in Australia, verifying when, where and how renewable electricity was generated.

Initially, the REGO will be open to eligible renewable electricity generators, including power stations already accredited under the RET scheme, and energy storage systems. It will later expand to include aggregated systems like virtual power plants.

Assistant federal energy and climate minister Josh Wilson says the scheme will give Australian producers the confidence and credibility they need to compete in a global economy that’s rapidly decarbonising.

“The GO Scheme will help Australia to realise the full economic potential of the energy transition by supporting jobs and investment in a Future Made in Australia,” Wilson said on Monday.

“A key tool in the Albanese Government’s energy transition toolbox, GO will catalyse the development of renewable hydrogen to the scale we need to power the growth of new industries and jobs, and to decarbonise critical but hard-to-abate industrial sectors.” 

CER Chair David Parker says the establishment of a “robust certification system” for emerging low-emissions products is key to enabling their growth and building trust across the supply chain. 

“Transparent, high-integrity digital certificates issued under the GO scheme will enable Australian businesses to differentiate their products as low-emissions or renewable, gaining a competitive edge in both domestic and export markets,” Parker said on Monday.

“For example, low-emissions hydrogen produced through electrolysis can provide effective methods for decarbonising high-emitting operations like ammonia and iron production and it will be important that those products are able to verify their low carbon status.”

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