Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australian Greenhouse Emissions Information System (AGEIS)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy ministers
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Save on your winter energy bills

    Save on your winter energy bills

    Making energy-smart choices can reduce winter’s impact on your wallet.

    Find out more

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Waste exports

    New waste plastic export regulations

    The Australian Government works to reduce waste plastics and turn that waste into valuable products.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Our department has changed

    Our department has changed

    Learn more about our roles and responsibilities.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  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
          • 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
        • Northern Australia fire management with the Emissions Reduction Fund (extended version)
      • Improving soil carbon storage and measurement
      • Independent Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units
      • Reducing emissions through carbon capture, use and storage
      • Regulating Australian fuel quality

Methods for the Emissions Reduction Fund

 

Under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) the rules for eligible activities are set out in methodology determinations (methods).

The 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 Emissions Reduction Fund 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
  • Avoided deforestation 1.1 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 Emissions Reduction Fund method priorities on the Clean Energy Regulator website

Closed methods

See closed Emissions Reduction Fund methods.

How we develop methods

The 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 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 ERF 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
  • the Ministerial Reference Panel for the Low Emissions Technology Statement (where relevant)

The ERF method nomination process aligns with the annual Low Emissions Technology Statement development.

The Minister announces ERF method priorities in the last quarter of the calendar year.

Developing methods

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

The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee 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 methods. The Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee 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 Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee is responsible for reviewing ERF methods. This review process includes public consultation on:

  • crediting period extensions
  • ensuring methods continue to meet the 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

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 29 July 2022

© 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.