Liable entities—complete certificate activity data for the 2013 assessment year
Liable entities (usually electricity retailers who first acquire electricity in a grid of 100 megawatts or more) have an obligation to purchase and surrender large-scale generation certificates and small-scale technology certificates based on the volume of electricity they purchase each year.
The following information is the complete 2013 assessment year data for liable entities' certificate activity:
Energy acquisition statements and shortfall statements
During 2014, the Clean Energy Regulator received and assessed energy acquisition statements and shortfall statements submitted by liable entities for the 2013 assessment year.
A total of 97 liable entities were required to report for the 2013 assessment year by the due date of 14 February 2014, seven more than in 2012.
Liability is determined by deducting partial exemptions from the overall amount of relevant acquisitions of electricity (the liable entity's reduced acquisitions).
In total, liable entities reported 178.406 million megawatt hours of reduced acquisitions for 2013, which is 207.883 million megawatt hours of relevant acquisitions of electricity less 29.477 million megawatt hours of partial exemptions.
Reduced acquisitions for the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target
Reduced acquisitions for the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target in 2013 resulted in a liability of 19 000 307 large-scale generation certificates. Liable entities had a 99.96 per cent compliance rate for surrendering these certificates. At the end of the 2013 assessment year, the Clean Energy Regulator assessed 55 liable entities with an accumulated carried‑forward surplus of 79 677 large-scale generation certificates (which can be used to acquit future large-scale generation certificate liabilities).
A total of six liable entities were found to have a total shortfall of 7 012 large-scale generation certificates, five liable entities had shortfalls within 10 per cent of their total large-scale generation certificate liability. This was carried forward and added to the entities' 2014 large-scale generation certificate liability. One liable entity with a shortfall of more than 10 per cent paid the shortfall charge.
The following graph shows the number of large-scale generation certificates that were accepted to acquit liabilities under the Act.
Reduced acquisitions for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
Reduced acquisitions for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme in 2013 resulted in a liability of 34 986 491 small-scale technology certificates. Liable entities had an average 99.99 per cent compliance surrender rate for surrendering these certificates in quarters 1 to 4. At the end of the 2013 assessment year, the Clean Energy Regulator assessed 75 liable entities, with an accumulated carried-forward surplus of 626 630 small-scale technology certificates (which can be used to acquit future quarterly small-scale technology certificate liabilities).
Five liable entities were found to have a total shortfall of 1 602 small-scale technology certificates. Those entities were required to pay the shortfall charge, because there is no buffer for entities with small-scale technology certificate shortfalls. The shortfalls for each quarter were:
- quarter 1—two liable entities had a total shortfall of 117 small-scale technology certificates
- quarter 2—three liable entities had a total shortfall of 747 small-scale technology certificates
- quarter 3—one liable entity had a total shortfall of 738 small-scale technology certificates, and
- quarter 4—zero liable entities had a shortfall.
As at 31 December 2014, all liable entities with shortfalls had paid their 2013 shortfall charges.
The following graph shows the number of small-scale technology certificates that were accepted to acquit liability against the legislated targets for 2011 to 2013.
Amendments to reported acquisitions
The
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 provides for the Clean Energy Regulator (section 45B) or liable entities (section 45A) to amend liable entities' reported acquisitions, within four years or 12 months respectively, after statements are lodged. Between 15 February 2014 and 14 February 2015, the Clean Energy Regulator amended one liable entity's reported acquisitions. Consequently the Clean Energy Regulator received and approved one application under section 45C of the Act to surrender additional certificates for the 2010 to 2013 assessment years.
Amendments to the amount of small-scale technology certificates to be surrendered
The Act provides for liable entities to amend the amount of small-scale technology certificates they are required to surrender for quarters 1 to 3. From 15 February 2014 to 1 October 2014 (the due date), the Clean Energy Regulator received and approved 11 applications under section 38AF of the Act to amend required surrender amounts for the 2014 assessment year.
Applications to surrender small-scale technology certificates the following year
Under the Act, liable entities that did not lodge 2013 energy acquisition statements and shortfall statements were able to apply to surrender small-scale technology certificate amounts for the 2014 assessment year, quarters 1 to 3. From 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014 (the due date), the Clean Energy Regulator received and approved 12 applications under section 38AG of the Act for a required surrender amount for the 2014 assessment year.
Surrender amounts determined by the Clean Energy Regulator
The Clean Energy Regulator determined required surrender amounts for three liable entities for the first three quarters of the 2013 assessment year, as per section 38AH of the Act. These liable entities did not apply for required surrender amounts under section 38AG of the Act for the 2013 assessment year (due date 31 December 2013).