Date

Type

Title and description

Nov 2023

Consultation

Outcomes of consultation on heat pump water heater fact sheet requirements

Consultation on proposed new heat pump water heater fact sheet requirements under the Energy Savings Scheme has ended.

To help customers make informed decisions ACPs (or their installers) will be required to give residential and business customers a copy of the relevant HEER or IHEAB heat pump water heater fact sheet before the customer agrees have a heat pump water heater installed.

We will ensure that ACPs have sufficient time to get ready to implement the change. We expect to commence the requirement in the first quarter of 2024.

We will tell you when we have published the fact sheets and guidance and confirm the commencement date of the requirements.

See our Past consultations page for more details including the consultation paper, submissions and What we heard document.

Nov 2023

PDRS update

Subscribe to find out about PDRS accreditation or for IPART PDRS updates

The Office of Energy and Climate Change is updating the PDRS Rule to add new methods and activities.  

Subscribe here to find out about becoming accredited for new PDRS methods or receive IPART PDRS updates.

Aug 2023

Guidance

Installer Declaration Template Updated

We have updated our Installer Declaration Template to correct an administrative error in the declaration section for Activity Definition F4. The updated declaration refers to the correct PDRS Activity Definition: HVAC2.

ACPs using our template for HVAC2 activities should ensure they use the latest version of the template.

July 2023

Guidance

Multiple water heater installations and calculations

This guidance sets out when multiple heat pump hot water systems may be installed in the Energy Savings Scheme’s Home Energy Efficiency Retrofits (HEER) method and Installing High Efficiency Appliances for Business (IHEAB) method and the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme’s Reducing Demand Using Efficiency (RDUE) method. It includes example calculations for HEER, IHEAB and RDUE water heater activities, including the correct data to use to determine the capacity factor for Activity Definition F16 (IHEAB).

The guidance also sets out how multiple heat pump water heaters may meet the equipment requirements for the relevant activity definitions in the IHEAB and RDUE methods.

See Notice 03/2023 for details.

May 2023

ESS Guidance

Commercial lighting guidance updated

We’ve updated the following documents for the Commercial lighting method to clarify that the Regional Network Factor should no longer be included when calculating the minimum co-payment:

These changes result from the ESS Rule change that commenced on 14 April 2023. Under the Rule change, the Regional Network factor was moved from Electricity Savings equations under the Commercial Lighting method to Equation 1.

April 2023

Guidance

PDRS Guidance and Audit scope updated

We have updated our website and the following PDRS documents to clarify that as a result of the 17 February 2023 PDRS Rule change, PRCs can be generated from heat pump hot water heater implementations undertaken since 1 April 2022 under the corresponding ESS Activity Definition D17 provided these implementations are not undertaken in a BCA Class 1 or 4 building:

See the Reducing Demand Using Efficiency Method page for more information.

 

April 2023

Legislation

New ESS Rule commences 14 April

The new ESS Rule has commenced. We’ve updated our guidance material, forms and templates to reflect changes to the Rule including:

  • minor changes to:

    • all method guides

    • application for accreditation – part B forms

    • audit scopes

    • the General Requirements Guide

  • significant changes to the PIAM&V Method Guide

  • updates to the PIAM&V Method Requirements

  • changes to the ESS examples template and CSV specification guide.

We’ve also prepared a Quick Reference Guide to provide information on the changes.

Please be sure you use the latest information to comply with ESS Rule requirements.

See our ESS Rule page for more information.

Feb 2023

Legislation

New ESS Rule commences 14 April 2023

The new ESS Rule has been gazetted and will commence on 14 April 2023. We have released a Quick Reference Guide and updated templates for the implementation data upload to help you understand and prepare for the new ESS Rule. The new template should not be used before 14 April 2023. Other updated guidance material, tools and templates to reflect the ESS changes will be available on our website from 14 April.

See our ESS Rule and TESSA Latest Info pages for more information.

Feb 2023

Legislation

The PDRS Rule has been amended

The PDRS Rule was updated on 17 February 2023. Changes include:

  • the motor activity SYS1 now includes replacement as well as new motors

  • eligible air conditioner (HVAC2), water heater (WH1), refrigerated cabinet (RF2) and efficient motor (SYS1) activities undertaken at small business sites after 1 April 2022 can be used to create Peak Reduction Certificates

  • equipment requirements for air conditioners in commercial settings have been clarified.

See the PDRS Rule page for more information.

Feb 2023

ESS Update

The ESS gas certificate conversion factor has changed

The gas certificate conversion factor used to calculate energy savings certificates (ESCs) under the Energy Savings Scheme was changed from 0.39 to 0.47 by amendments to the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014.

Consequently, we have made minor amendments to information about conversion factors in the Method Guides for the Project Impact Assessment with Measurement and Verification, Metered Baseline and Aggregated Metered Baseline Methods.

Nov 2022

Annual Report

Our 2021 ESS Annual Report was recently tabled in NSW Parliament. This includes information on:

  • energy savings achieved and certificate demand

  • compliance performance of Scheme Participants and Accredited Certificate Providers

  • key administration activities and developments.

    Annual Report to the Minister 2021

Nov 2022

Consultation

Outcomes of the combined audit process for Scheme Participants consultation

Consultation on a proposed combined audit process for Scheme Participants under the ESS and PDRS is now complete. We have considered feedback and will align timing of Scheme Participant processes for the ESS and PDRS to allow Scheme Participants to conduct combined or separate audits to meet their business needs. See our Past consultations page for the consultation paper, submissions and the What we heard document, which sets out the revised timings.

We have also published a Scheme Participant compliance timeline webpage that sets out when compliance activities must be completed.

We will publish updated guidance material on Scheme Participant processes, including audits, early in 2023.

Nov
2022

Guidance

Updated forms now available

With the introduction of the PDRS, we have updated a number of forms so that you can use the one form for both the ESS and PDRS.  We have also made changes to nomination form requirements to improve the customer experience. Access the updated forms here:

Nov
2022

PDRS water heaters

We have accepted all commercial and industrial water heaters listed as Activity Definition F16 by the ESS for use under the PDRS for Activity Definition WH1. 

This means that going forward, any product accepted as F16 by the ESS is automatically accepted as WH1 for the PDRS. Further details are available in Notice 03/2022.

Accepted PDRS and ESS water heaters are listed on the ‘Accepted Products List’ under the associated calculation method.

Nov
2022

PDRS Update

PDRS commences

The PDRS commenced on 1 November 2022. Eleven Accredited Certificate Providers have already been accredited and can now register Peak Reduction Certificates in the Registry of Certificates. The 2022–23 PDRS compliance period has also commenced.

See our Reducing peak demand with PDRS page for more information.

Oct 2022

PDRS Update

PDRS 2022-23 scheme certificate target published

The 2022-23 scheme certificate target for the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) has been published on our website. See our Scheme certificate target page for more information.

Oct 2022

Event

2022 Safeguard Stakeholder Forum

Our 2022 Safeguard Stakeholder Forum was held online on 27 October. It featured a series of talks, Q&A and breakout sessions about how you can be successful in the Safeguard. Go to our 2022 Safeguard Stakeholder Forum page for more information.

Oct 2022

Guidance

Publication of PDRS Method Guide

We have published the Peak Demand Savings Capacity Method: Reducing Demand Using Efficiency Method Guide on our website. It provides guidance on meeting requirements to create a peak reduction certificate from eligible activities under the PDRS.

The outcomes of the Draft PDRS Method Guide consultation can be found on our Past consultations page.

Oct 2022

Legislation

The Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014 has been amended

Amendments to the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014 to include new provisions for the Energy Savings Scheme and establish administrative arrangements for the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme commenced on 14 October 2022.

See our ESS Legislation and PDRS Legislation pages for details.

Sep 2022

Legislation

PDRS Rule commences

The Peak Demand Reduction Scheme Rule of 2022 (PDRS Rule) commenced on 29 September 2022. We have updated our website with information about the PDRS Rule and activities under the Reducing Demand Using Efficiency Method.

Amendments to the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2014 to establish administrative arrangements for the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme will commence soon.

Sep 2022

Guidance

Updated audit and product applications guidance

We have updated the following guidance and forms for audits and product applications on our website.  Please ensure you use our current guidance and forms.

Jul
2022

Consultation Paper 

Draft for consultation – Peak Demand Reduction Scheme Method Guide

We are inviting submissions on our draft Method Guide for the Reducing Demand Using Efficiency sub-method of the Peak Demand Saving Method under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme.

Find out how you can have your say on our Current consultations page.

Submissions close on 5 August 2022.

Jun 2022

Newsletter

ESS Newsletter 63 - June 2022

Jun 2022

Notice - Information

Notice 02/2022 - Important Information on the Installation of Refrigerated Cabinets

This notice provides important information on the Installation of Refrigerated Cabinets under the Energy Savings Scheme.

Mar 2022

Newsletter

ESS Newsletter 62 - March 2022

Feb 2022

Slide deck

Scheme Participants - Peak Demand Reduction Scheme - Information Session Slide Deck February 2022 

An overview of the process and requirements for Scheme Participants for the 2022 Compliance year under the PDRS.

Feb 2022

Slide deck

Scheme Participant Information Session - 2021 Compliance year

An overview of how Scheme Participants meet their obligations for the 2021 Compliance year under the current ESS.

Feb 2022

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet - Strip Lights - February 2022

Strip lights can be used in lighting upgrades under the ESS. Our new fact sheet outlines the product acceptance, auditing and compliance requirements.