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Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

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  1. Home
  2. Climate change
  3. Emissions reduction
  4. Emissions Reduction Fund
  5. Methods for the Emissions Reduction Fund

Sidebar first - EN - Climate change emissions reduction

  • Climate change
    • Emissions reduction
      • Emissions Reduction Fund
        • Methods for the Emissions Reduction Fund
          • Aggregated small energy users method
          • Alternative waste treatment method
          • Animal effluent management method
          • Aviation method
          • Avoided clearing of native regrowth method
          • Avoided deforestation 1.1 method
          • Beef cattle herd management method
          • Carbon capture and storage method
          • Coal mine waste gas method
          • Commercial and public lighting method
          • Commercial building energy efficiency method
          • Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects method
          • Domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater method
          • Estimating sequestration of carbon in soil using default values method
          • Facilities method
          • Fertiliser use efficiency in irrigated cotton method
          • High efficiency commercial appliances method
          • Human-induced regeneration of a permanent even-aged native forest 1.1 method
          • Industrial Electricity and Fuel Efficiency method
          • Industrial Equipment Upgrades method
          • Industrial and commercial emissions reduction method
          • Land and sea transport method
          • Landfill gas (generation) method
          • Landfill gas method
          • Measurement based methods for new farm forestry plantations method
          • Measurement of soil carbon sequestration in agricultural systems method
          • Native forest from managed regrowth
          • Oil and gas fugitives method
          • Plantation Forestry method
          • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in beef cattle through feeding nitrate containing supplements method
          • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in milking cows through feeding dietary additives method
          • Reforestation and Afforestation 2.0 method
          • Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings - FullCAM
          • Refrigeration and Ventilation Fans method
          • Refrigeration and Ventilation Fans method
          • Savanna fire management - emissions avoidance method
          • Savanna fire management - sequestration and emissions avoidance method
          • Source separated organic waste method
        • Closed Emissions Reduction Fund methods
        • Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee
        • Northern Australia fire management with the Emissions Reduction Fund
      • Independent Review of ACCUs
        • Panel members
      • Reducing agricultural and land sector emissions
      • Reducing emissions through carbon capture, use and storage
      • Regulating Australian fuel quality

Methods for the Emissions Reduction Fund

 

Rules for eligible activities under Australia’s carbon crediting scheme, the Emissions Reduction Fund are set out in methodology determinations (methods).

The carbon crediting methods ensure the emission reductions are real and in addition to business as usual operations.

To register your project and be credited for emissions reductions by the Clean Energy Regulator your project must follow one of the finalised methods.

Finalised methods

These are the current carbon crediting methods available.

Agriculture

  • Animal effluent management method
  • Beef cattle herd management method
  • Estimating sequestration of carbon in soil using default values method
  • Estimation of soil organic carbon sequestration using measurement and models method
  • Fertiliser use efficiency in irrigated cotton method
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in beef cattle through feeding nitrate containing supplements method
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in milking cows through feeding dietary additives method

Carbon capture and storage

  • Carbon capture and storage method

Energy efficiency

  • Aggregated small energy users method
  • Commercial building energy efficiency method
  • High efficiency commercial appliances method
  • Industrial and commercial emissions reduction method
  • Industrial electricity and fuel efficiency method
  • Industrial equipment upgrades method
  • Refrigeration and ventilation fans method

Facilities

  • Facilities method

Mining, oil and gas

  • Coal mine waste gas method
  • Oil and gas fugitives method

Transport

  • Aviation method
  • Land and sea transport method

Vegetation management

  • Avoided clearing of native regrowth method
  • Designated Verified Carbon Standard projects method
  • Human-induced regeneration of a permanent even-aged native forest 1.1 method
  • Measurement based methods for new farm forestry plantations method
  • Native forest from managed regrowth method
  • Plantation forestry method
  • Reforestation and afforestation 2.0 method
  • Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings - FullCAM method
  • Savanna fire management - emissions avoidance method
  • Savanna fire management - sequestration and emissions avoidance method
  • Tidal restoration of blue carbon ecosystems method

Waste and wastewater

  • Alternative waste treatment method
  • Landfill gas method
  • Landfill gas (generation) method
  • Source separated organic waste method
  • Domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater method

New method priorities

See current method priorities on the Clean Energy Regulator's website

Closed methods

See closed methods

How methods are developed

The carbon crediting method development process involves:

  • the Minister for Climate Change and Energy
  • the Clean Energy Regulator
  • the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee
  • our department
  • consultation with industry, potential end-users and experts

Prioritising new methods

The Minister decides which activities to prioritise for new carbon crediting method development based on these criteria:

  • the potential uptake of the method and the likely volume of reduced emissions
  • whether the volume of emissions reduced can be estimated at an acceptable cost and to a reasonable degree of certainty
  • whether it could have an adverse impact on society, the environment or the economy
  • whether it could be better supported by other government measures
  • alignment with broader government priorities

Nominating method priorities

Each year, you can nominate ideas for the next round of carbon crediting method priorities. In your submission you should provide information against each of the criteria above.

Our department assesses nominations in consultation with:

  • the Clean Energy Regulator
  • the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee.

Developing methods

Once prioritised, the Clean Energy Regulator develops carbon crediting methods in collaboration with industry, potential end-users, scientists and technical experts and the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee (ERAC).

The ERAC releases all methods in draft for public consultation to:

  • ensure they are fit for purpose
  • assist the Committee assess whether the method meets the offsets integrity standards in the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011
  • identify whether projects are likely to cause any adverse social, environmental or economic impacts

Our department publishes the consultations on our Consultation hub. See current and previous consultations on methods.

Approving methods

The Minister approves carbon crediting methods. The ERAC advises the Minister about whether a draft method meets the Offsets Integrity Standards. The Minister cannot approve a method if the Committee advises it does not meet the Offsets Integrity Standards.

Reviewing methods

The ERAC is responsible for reviewing the carbon crediting methods. This review process includes public consultation on:

  • crediting period extensions
  • ensuring methods continue to meet the Offset Integrity Standards

The Regulator supports the Committee during this process.

Read more

  • The Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 enables the ERF
  • The Act enables the 2015 Rule and 2011 Regulations
  • Read about our department's role in the ERF

Connect with us

  • Subscribe to updates about the ERF
  • Read ERF news

Contact us

Email emissions-reduction@industry.gov.au

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Last updated: 15 February 2023

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.