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
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
Mining, oil and gas
Transport
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
Interim guidance on developing methods under a proponent-led method development process
The Independent Review of ACCUs (the ACCU Review) recommended moving from a government-led to a proponent-led approach to method development. The new process will provide more flexibility to develop new approaches to abatement. This will promote innovation and increase the speed of method development.
The ACCU Review Implementation Plan sets out the timing and approach to implementing the recommendations of the review. Our department is consulting on how to implement the new method development approach.
While the proponent-led method development process is being established, stakeholders can begin work for new methods or modules. The new approach is proposed to begin by asking people to submit expressions of interests (EOIs). These submissions would be to a new Carbon Abatement Integrity Committee. EOIs are method proposals or ideas.
We have developed an interim approach framework. This provides information on what proponents could consider when deciding whether to develop a method and put together an EOI. It includes guidance on the legislated integrity standards that need to be met when designing a new method or module.
However, this guidance is interim only and not definitive. This guidance may also be updated from time to time in response to stakeholder feedback. The new Carbon Abatement Integrity Committee will be an independent body and will interpret the legislated offset integrity standards. It may also need extra information to be submitted as part of an EOI.
For questions, please email ACCUMethods@dcceew.gov.au
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 ACCU Scheme
- The Act enables the 2015 Rule and 2011 Regulations
- Read about our department's role in the ACCU Scheme
Connect with us
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- Read ACCU Scheme news