Authoritative answers about Australian compliance assets. Covers the operational mechanics of buying, holding, and surrendering Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) and Safeguard Mechanism Credits (SMCs), navigating Clean Energy Regulator (CER) registry accounts, and managing compliance surrender obligations under the federal Safeguard Mechanism.
Australian compliance assets. Covers the operational mechanics of buying, holding, and surrendering Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) and Safeguard Mechanism Credits (SMCs), navigating Clean Energy Regulator (CER) registry accounts, and managing compliance surrender obligations under the federal Safeguard Mechanism.
Last reviewed
A project earns ACCUs by registering with the Clean Energy Regulator, following an approved method, reporting its abatement with scheduled audits, and then applying…
Last reviewed
A carbon abatement contract is an agreement to sell ACCUs to the Australian Government, represented by the Clean Energy Regulator, at a set price.…
Last reviewed
An Australian carbon credit unit (ACCU) is a tradeable unit issued under the ACCU Scheme for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent that a…
Last reviewed
ACCUs are issued to registered projects that store carbon or avoid emissions, while SMCs are issued to Safeguard facilities that emit below their baselines.…
Last reviewed
The Unit and Certificate Registry is the Clean Energy Regulator's registry for holding, transferring and trading ACCUs, SMCs and REGO certificates, accessed through Online…
Last reviewed
ACCU relinquishment, meaning handing ACCUs back to the Clean Energy Regulator, is required when units were issued on false or misleading information, and in…
Beyond a glossary
Need help applying this topic to your operational reality? Clear Carbon's enterprise platform automates the workflows behind every framework in this knowledge base.
Book a friendly callAn Australian carbon credit unit (ACCU) is a tradeable unit issued under the ACCU Scheme for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent that a registered project stores or avoids. ACCUs can be sold, surrendered under the Safeguard Mechanism or voluntarily cancelled.
A project earns ACCUs by registering with the Clean Energy Regulator, following an approved method, reporting its abatement with scheduled audits, and then applying for ACCUs. One ACCU is issued for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent stored or avoided.
ACCUs are issued to registered projects that store carbon or avoid emissions, while SMCs are issued to Safeguard facilities that emit below their baselines. Both can be surrendered to reduce a Safeguard facility's net emissions, but only ACCUs are offsets and only ACCUs can be voluntarily cancelled.
A carbon abatement contract is an agreement to sell ACCUs to the Australian Government, represented by the Clean Energy Regulator, at a set price. Contracts are either fixed delivery, which require a set number of ACCUs on schedule, or optional delivery, which give the right but not the obligation to sell.
ACCU relinquishment, meaning handing ACCUs back to the Clean Energy Regulator, is required when units were issued on false or misleading information, and in other cases such as a significant loss of stored carbon from a sequestration project that the proponent could reasonably have prevented or mitigated.
The Unit and Certificate Registry is the Clean Energy Regulator's registry for holding, transferring and trading ACCUs, SMCs and REGO certificates, accessed through Online Services. ANREU accounts are now managed in it. LGCs and STCs are held separately in the REC Registry.