What is the Government Scheme Updates page on Northmore Gordon's website about?
It is an archive page that shares the latest government scheme updates, alerts and changes across the energy market for Australia (VIC, NSW, QLD, TAS, WA, SA) and Singapore. The page tracks regulatory changes, rule amendments, auction results and policy announcements affecting energy efficiency certificates, renewable energy schemes, peak demand reduction, and industrial energy-management obligations. Updates help businesses monitor scheme eligibility conditions, implementation dates and commercial implications for energy projects. We use this resource to inform clients about changes affecting project timing, funding pathways and certificate requirements.
What is the significance of the August 2026 SRES expansion update, and how does it affect solar PV projects?
The August 6, 2026 update announced that small-scale technology certificate (STC) eligibility is intended to increase from 100 kW to 1 MW from October 2026, subject to regulations being made. This is a significant change for solar PV system eligibility under the Renewable Energy Target's Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. However, the announced expansion is not yet operative entitlement; projects must confirm the enacted requirements and application arrangements for their actual installation date. Businesses should not treat the announcement as proof that a proposed system already has that eligibility. We can assist by confirming the current enacted requirements specific to your project's commissioning date.
What were the key February 2026 updates regarding the NSW Energy Savings Scheme and Victorian Energy Upgrades?
On February 20, 2026, we published two significant updates: 'Energy Savings Scheme reform proposed: stronger focus on gas reduction and electrification' and 'Victorian Government VEU Program Review and What It Means for Your Business in 2026'. These announcements signalled reform direction toward supporting electrification and decarbonisation while maintaining certificate eligibility pathways. The updates help businesses understand shifting policy priorities and assess how proposed changes may affect project viability. Understanding the reform context is essential for assessing whether a gas-based heating or hot-water project remains eligible or whether electrification alternatives should be prioritised.
What does the NSW Energy Savings Scheme Rule dated 7 September 2026 establish, and what transition provisions apply?
The Energy Savings Scheme Rule: 7 September 2026 establishes the current regulatory framework for the NSW Energy Savings Scheme, commencing on 7 September 2026 with transition provisions for earlier implementations. The rule contains specific restrictions: new or replacement gas-fired steam boilers, water heaters, hot-water boilers and space heaters implemented on or after 1 July 2026 cannot create Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs) under the PIAM&V (Project Impact Assessment with Measurement and Verification) pathway, though this restriction applies only to those specific activities and method. Projects must use the applicable rule version with relevant method guidance to establish current requirements. We can assess your project against the current rule to confirm eligible pathways.
What are BESS4 and BESS5 under the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, and what are their eligibility constraints?
BESS4 and BESS5 are business battery storage activities under the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme that commence on 1 September 2026, with Schedule C full activity requirements applying from 7 September 2026. Both activities explicitly exclude residential buildings and data centres from eligibility. Capacity alone does not determine eligibility; equipment specifications, siting, installation, network approvals and operational arrangements must all be assessed against the full activity requirements. A properly-scoped battery project requires a detailed assessment of site classification, battery capacity, inverter output, existing and proposed solar capacity, and network/planning approvals. We can review your facility against the PDRS Rule to confirm whether a battery project qualifies and which value streams (demand reduction, tariff shifting, resilience or scheme support) apply to your operations.
How should businesses evaluate whether a proposed energy project is eligible for NSW Energy Savings Scheme support?
Eligibility under the NSW Energy Savings Scheme depends on selecting the correct calculation method before building the evidence file. Projects may use a prescribed calculation method or the project-based PIAM&V (Project Impact Assessment with Measurement and Verification) approach. PIAM&V requires comparison of modelled pre-project consumption with modelled or measured post-commissioning consumption, and an approved independent M&V professional must deem the project appropriate. Practical assessment requires establishing the project boundary and modelling approach while baseline data can still be obtained; baseline measurement procedures must be deemed appropriate by an M&V professional before the implementation date. A preliminary estimate should show the activity, rule version, energy calculation, certificate assumptions and outstanding conditions. Keep engineering savings, scheme-recognised savings, created certificates and customer proceeds as separate quantities.
What does Northmore Gordon recommend regarding timing and evidence preservation for energy projects seeking government support?
We emphasise raising funding and measurement questions while the project is still being scoped. The useful question is not simply whether an upgrade could save energy, but whether the proposed project can meet a chosen programme's requirements at its actual stage. Businesses should describe the stage precisely using separate dates for feasibility approval, final investment decision, purchase commitment, installation, commissioning and the beginning of normal operation, since a single label such as 'project started' can hide the event that matters under a particular rule. Before commitments are made, businesses should document eligibility assumptions, relevant dates, required consents and conditionality. Once work has begun, do not manufacture earlier records; instead, assemble the real chronology and ask whether the applicable method allows the project to proceed. We can help coordinate the evidence file and confirm available pathways given your project's actual timeline.
What are the differences between STCs, LGCs and REGOs, and why should they not be treated as interchangeable pathways?
Small-scale technology certificates (STCs), large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) and Renewable Electricity Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) all relate to renewable energy, but have different eligibility, creation and use rules. STCs and LGCs are components of the Renewable Energy Target scheme, which ends in 2030, while REGOs record renewable electricity attributes and continue beyond 2030 as a separate scheme administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. A facility may participate in REGO and LRET, but cannot create REGOs and LGCs for the same electricity generation. System-specific conditions still need checking: small-scale incentives cover certain eligible battery systems, so a solar-only description of STCs can omit relevant requirements. Selling renewable attributes and retaining the ability to make an equivalent renewable-use claim must not be assumed compatible. We can help distinguish which scheme applies to your facility and what attribute consequences follow from each certificate pathway.
What practical steps should businesses take to assess eligibility for energy-efficiency certificates across different Australian schemes?
We recommend preparing a screening file that documents the site address and premises use (confirming jurisdiction and applicable conditions), existing and proposed equipment (enabling activity selection and technical boundary definition), project stage and intended dates (identifying whether prerequisites and measurement are still possible), available energy data (revealing baseline and monitoring gaps), and prior incentives and certificate arrangements (allowing compatibility and ownership questions to be checked). Before relying on a certificate contribution in an investment case, ask for the governing activity and document version, main eligibility assumptions, calculation basis, evidence responsibilities and commercial treatment. Show certificate price and quantity assumptions separately, and confirm whether an amount is an indicative gross value or what the customer would actually receive after agreed charges. A project brief submitted to we should include this information to enable proportionate first assessment.
How does Northmore Gordon assist clients in navigating complex energy project decisions involving multiple funding pathways?
We maintain a knowledge library and service framework designed to help businesses understand energy performance, carbon management and environmental certificates across jurisdictions. We offer energy audits, measurement and verification, carbon and energy strategy, renewable certificate services and funding-pathway assessment. For a given project situation, we recommend starting with a relevant first brief: for high energy bills, a site energy-use investigation and audit scope; for an identified upgrade, feasibility, measurement plan and funding-pathway assessment; for evidence of savings, measurement boundary, baseline and verification requirements; for renewable or carbon instruments, intended claim, eligible instrument, ownership and retirement requirements. An initial enquiry should identify the organisation, site, country and state, decision needed, firm deadline and available equipment or problem description. Our website provides an enquiry route for proportionate assessment of project eligibility and available service options.
