The Quarter 3 (Q3) 2023 deadline for liable entities to surrender small-scale technology certificates (STCs) is Monday 30 October 2023.

Simply ensure you have enough STCs to meet your certificate surrender obligations and surrender by or before the deadline to avoid a shortfall charge of $65 per certificate not surrendered. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has no discretion to extend the surrender deadline. You can also buy STCs from the STC clearing house if needed.

Steps to complete your STC surrender

Login to your REC Registry account and following these steps.

  1. Select 'Surrender' from the left side panel.
  2. Select 'Liability surrender' from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click the applicable assessment year (2023).
  4. Click the 'STC surrender' icon.
  5. Enter the number of certificates you need to surrender.

How to buy STCs from the STC clearing house

  1. Ensure your REC Registry account details, user permissions and GST details are correct.
  2. Check you have the 'Buy from STC clearing house' permission enabled.
  3. Make your purchase as soon as possible. If your buy order payment is not cleared in time to meet your surrender obligations, you will incur a shortfall charge.

  4. Check payment is made to the correct STC clearing house bank account (shown on the clearing house purchase invoice) as these details are different to other transactions you may undertake with the CER. This will help ensure there is no delay to the release of certificates into your account.

    Payment can only be made through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Use the real-time transfer option provided by your bank, otherwise funds can take up to 5 business days to clear.

The REC Registry Guideline explains how to upgrade your existing REC Registry account to include STC clearing house access.

Certificate vintage

Liable entities can only surrender certificates that were created in the assessment year or earlier. This is referred to as the certificate vintage rule. Generally, STCs purchased from the STC clearing house are not subject to the vintage rule.

Refer to the examples below on how this may impact your 2023 STC quarterly surrender:

  • Certificates purchased from the STC clearing house in 2023 can be transferred and surrendered to acquit 2023 liability in Quarters 1-3, or Quarter 4 before the end of the calendar year.
  • Certificates purchased from the STC clearing house can only be used to acquit 2023 Quarter 4 liability in the following year if they have been purchased from the same liable entity account that will be surrendering the STCs.
  • Any STC clearing house purchases transferred from the original account into a different account in the following year will be stamped with the year created, at the time the transfer occurred. These are not eligible for an exemption to the vintage rule.

More information

Visit forms and resources for liable entities and key dates for liable entities under the Renewable Energy Target (RET).

For support please contact the RET Liability team on 1300 553 542 or by email at RETLiability@cleanenergyregulator.gov.au.