The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (the Department) is preparing to release an update to the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM) for public use from 1 September 2020. FullCAM is used to construct Australia’s national greenhouse gas emissions account for the land sector and must be used for some vegetation method projects in the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).
A pre-release version of FullCAM software and draft FullCAM Guidelines are available on the Department’s website. The Department is inviting initial comments on the draft Guidelines by 11:59PM, Friday 12 June 2020 (AEST).
Following consideration of initial comments, a public consultation period on the draft guidelines will follow in July 2020.
Once the new version is released, all ERF participants that use FullCAM must use the updated 2020 FullCAM software version. Projects which submit an application for registration before 1 September may use either the updated data and calibrations (the 2020 option) or the grand-fathered data and calibrations which were available in the previous FullCAM software version, released in 2016 (the 2016 option).
Any new projects which apply to be registered from 1 September must use the 2020 option.
I have an ERF project, what does this mean for me?
Projects which submit an application for registration before 1 September may use either the updated data and calibrations (the 2020 option) or the grand-fathered data and calibrations which were available in the previous FullCAM software version, released in 2016 (the 2016 option).
It’s important to note that if you move to the 2020 option, you will not be able to return to using the 2016 option.
Any new projects which apply to be registered from 1 September must use the 2020 option.
More information
More information on the forthcoming update, including how to make a submission on the draft guidelines, can be found on the Department’s website.