How to get involved
There are several ways to get involved with the ESS or PDRS:
- as an Accredited Certificate Provider (ACP)
- as a business working with an ACP
- as an auditor.
Other parties to the schemes include:
- consumers of ESS and PDRS upgrades
- scheme participants (mainly energy retailers), who are required to surrender certificates.
As an ACP creating and selling certificates
An ACP can create and sell Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs) and Peak Reduction Certificates (PRCs). They have obligations to meet scheme requirements, including keeping records and undertaking audits.
You can only create certificates once you are accredited as an ACP and only for upgrades that were completed after you have been accredited.
Visit the Accredited Certificate Providers section of our website to learn more or apply for accreditation.
As a business working with an ACP
Becoming an ACP takes time and comes with obligations. Working with an existing ACP as an installer or demand response aggregator might be more appropriate for some businesses.
You can still carry out energy-saving or demand-reducing activities and the ACP can create certificates from these.
See the List of ACPs to find ACPs to work with.
As an auditor for ACPs and scheme participants
Auditors provide reasonable assurance that ACPs and scheme participants meet scheme requirements and obligations.
ACPs and scheme participants engage auditors from IPART’s audit panel to prepare audit reports.
To do an audit for the PDRS or ESS, you must be part of the Audit Services Panel and meet other requirements.
Visit the Auditors section of our website to learn more or find out how to join the panel.
As a scheme participant
A scheme participant is an entity, typically an electricity retailer, that must meet specific energy targets. It does this by buying or creating ESCs or PRCs and surrendering them.
A scheme participant is required to be involved in the schemes by the Electricity Supply Act 1995 (NSW). This contrasts with others who opt into the schemes, like ACPs and auditors.
Visit the scheme participants section of our website to learn more.