We use a client survey as the primary indicator of how effective our agency’s engagement, guidance and communications activities are. Feedback from these surveys is used to improve our approach to engaging with clients.

In 2016 a total of 329 clients responded to our annual client survey. Key results have remained consistent from the 2015 survey with 76 per cent of respondents again agreeing we effectively engage with clients. As with last year, more than 90 per cent of respondents reported satisfaction with our subscription email service.

Other results indicate we have matured across the board as an agency, with 30 per cent of clients reporting that it has become ‘much easier’ to deal with the agency over the last 12 months.

Clients who participated in workshop sessions we organised rated them particularly highly, with 95 per cent reporting they were an effective way to get the information they needed. Our communication channels - direct and subscriber emails, website and telephone enquiries - were used by 96 per cent of our clients.

For more details about our client survey see Corporate governance.

We have a dedicated in-house contact centre to support clients. The proportion of client contacts resolved at first contact is considered to be a good indicator of the efficiency of handling enquires and the quality of our service to clients.

The proportion of client contacts resolved at first contact has continued to increase to 82 per cent in 2016–17 up from 78 per cent in 2015–16 and 74 per cent in 2014–15. We also seek qualitative feedback from clients on our contact centre’s performance through our client survey.

The result demonstrates the continuous growth in our contact centre’s capability and knowledge of our schemes.

For more details about our contact centre see Corporate governance.

The number of ACCUs we issue indicates the level of carbon abatement that has been achieved and therefore the participation of clients in the Emissions Reduction Fund. One ACCU is issued for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂-e) stored or avoided by an Emissions Reduction Fund project.

The volume of ACCUs issued in 2016–17 has increased by 23 per cent from 2015–16, bringing the overall total since 2012–13 to 39 320 484.

Of the 692 projects registered under the scheme, 314 claimed ACCUs during 2016–17. Over 60 per cent of ACCUs were issued to vegetation projects and over 24 per cent to waste projects. ACCUs were also issued to savanna burning, energy efficiency and agriculture projects.

For more details about ACCUs issued under the Emissions Reduction Fund see Emissions Reduction Fund.

An interactive map on our website also provides details of the Emissions Reduction Fund.

The number of renewable energy certificates registered is an indicator of the volume of electricity generated from renewable energy sources under the Renewable Energy Target.

This indicates the level of participation of clients in the Renewable Energy Target. One large-scale generation certificate represents one megawatt hour of additional electricity generated by an accredited renewable power station. One small-scale technology certificate equates to one megawatt hour of electricity generated or displaced (reduced demand from the electricity grid).

• Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme

A total of 18 561 781 small-scale technology certificates were registered in 2016–17. This is an increase of 20.9 per cent compared to 2015–16.

Solar photovoltaic installations accounted for 90 per cent of the small-scale technology certificates registered in 2016–17, while solar water heaters (including air source heat pumps) accounted for 10 per cent, and wind and hydro systems combined accounted for less than one per cent of total registered small-scale technology certificates.

For more details about the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme and small-scale technology certificates see Renewable Energy Target.

• Large-scale Renewable Energy Target

A total of 19 231 945 large-scale generation certificates were registered in 2016–17. This reflects 19 231 945 megawatt hours of additional electricity generated by accredited renewable energy stations and is an increase of 21 per cent on the number of large-scale generation certificates registered in 2015–16.

For more details about the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target and large-scale generation certificates see Renewable Energy Target​.

The proportion of scheme applications processed within statutory or administrative timeframes is an indicator of our agency’s efficiency, ensuring that we meet our statutory or administrative timeframes.

• Emissions Reduction Fund

We assessed 100 per cent of auction qualification and auction registration applications, that met the requirements, prior to the relevant auction.

We assessed 100 per cent of contract delivery invoices, that met the requirements, within the 20 days provided for under the contract.

We processed 100 per cent of project applications within 90 days. The volume of project applications processed during 2016–17 decreased by over 76 per cent compared to 2015–16 from 368 to 88.

We processed 99 per cent of project crediting applications within 90 days. The volume of project crediting applications processed during 2016–17 increased by over 61 per cent compared to 2015–16 from 299 to 483. Adjustments to processes were made to account for the increased number of applications resulting in a small number of applications being processed outside of the 90 day timeframe.

For more details see Emissions Reduction Fund.

• National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme

We assessed and processed 100 per cent of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting applications within the 30 day administrative timeframe. The majority of applications received were from new controlling corporations seeking registration under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (mainly due to corporate ​restructures) and ​deregistrations within 90 day administrative timeframe (due to either corporate restructures or entities falling below reporting thresholds). We also received a small number of registrations of responsible emitters (under the safeguard mechanism) which were processed within the 60 day statutory timeframe. The majority of these applications are expected in 2017–18.

For more details see National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme.​​

• Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme

The volume of applications processed during 2016–17 increased slightly. We processed 100 per cent of applications received for registration as a registered agent, registered person or general account holder within the six week administrative timeframe.

For more details about the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme see Renewable Energy Target.

• Large-scale Renewable Energy Target

The volume of applications processed during 2016–17 increased by 25 per cent from 72 in 2015–16 to 90 in 2016–17. We processed 100 per cent of applications for power station accreditation under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target within the six week administrative timeframe.

For more details about the Large-scale Renewable Target see Renewable Energy Target.

• Australian National Registry of Emissions Units (ANREU)

The volume of applications processed during 2016–17 increased by nearly six per cent, from 158 in 2015–16 to 167 in 2016–17. We processed 94.6 per cent of ANREU account applications within the statutory timeframe of 90 days in 2016–17. Applications to replace an authorised representative for an existing ANREU account continue to represent the majority of ANREU-related applications. The remaining 5.4 per cent of applications were progressed shortly after the statutory timeframe.

For more details about the ANREU see Emissions Reduction Fund.

• Safeguard mechanism (calculated baselines)

Six out of a total of seven applications for calculated baselines were processed within the statutory timeframe, within 60 days of receipt of an application or the applicant’s response to a request for information required to finalise assessment of the application. One application was processed just outside the statutory timeframe.

For more details see Safeguard mechanism.

As a regulator, we work to ensure that we uphold the Government’s principles for regulatory practice to foster good relationships with our clients. A positive assessment against this Regulatory Performance Framework helps to confirm the effectiveness of our agency’s processes and practices.

We published our first annual self-assessment report, covering 2015–16, on our website on 15 December 2016. The self-assessment report demonstrated achievements against each measure under the Regulator Performance Framework. The Chief Executive Officers of the Carbon Markets Institute, the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network and the Clean Energy Council validated our report. The majority of their responses either strongly agreed or agreed that the material in the report demonstrated performance against the measures.

We used the self-assessment process as a means of assessing how we can continue to improve our regulatory performance, and identified 20 opportunities for continuous improvement or ongoing focus.

See Regulator Performance Framework for more information.

This performance measure indicates our agency’s compliance with governance and control frameworks ensuring that we operate within the Australian Government administrative, legal and policy boundaries.

For 2016–17, there were no significant breaches of government, administrative, legal or policy requirements.

For more details about our compliance approach see Section 5: Management and accountability.

We survey our clients as an indicator of client satisfaction with staff interactions and to assess the effectiveness of agency staff in supporting our clients. This helps us to evaluate service delivery and identify areas for future staff development.

Our 2016 client survey found 79 per cent of clients were satisfied or very satisfied with their interactions with the agency’s staff. This has decreased slightly from the 2015 survey results which recorded an 84 per cent satisfaction rate.

Clients reported high ratings for personal attributes of staff (including that our staff are approachable) and for process attributes of staff, particularly that clients don’t have to repeat themselves with each person they speak to. The slight decrease in satisfaction was attributed to a decline in overall satisfaction from Emissions Reduction Fund clients. We have taken actions to address this feedback including an organisational restructure and a move to online forms to address particular areas of concern raised within the survey.

For more details about our client survey see Corporate governance.

The proportion of successful court actions we undertake is used to assess the effectiveness of our agency’s investigations and enforcement functions.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) has carriage of two matters from our agency. Neither were brought before a court during the reporting period. In one case, this is due to the defendant avoiding court attendance notices. A warrant for the defendant’s arrest has been issued. In the other, the matter was under assessment by the CDPP during the period and following requests for additional material to be provided to them, the matter is expected to be resolved in 2017–18.

For more details about our investigations see Corporate governance.

This performance measure reports on our clients’ completion of enforceable undertakings in cases of potential or actual non-compliance with our schemes.

There was only one enforceable undertaking due for completion in the reporting period, but it was completed outside the required timeframes. The Clean Energy Regulator was aware of the reasons for the delay and no further action was taken.

Three enforceable undertakings remain open (initiated in 2013–14) but not yet completed. In all three cases, the relevant parties are no longer active in the industry and the offending behaviour has stopped.

While enforceable undertakings are not always fully completed, or completed on time, they are an effective tool to stop the offending behaviour, to ensure remedial action is taken and to send an indication to industry and consumers that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. They remain an important tool in setting standards of acceptable behaviour.

For more details about our investigations see Corporate governance.

The proportion of carbon abatement delivered against the original schedule of projects provides an indicator of the effectiveness of the agency’s administration of the Emissions Reduction Fund and its contract management function.

During 2016–17, 13 294 184 Australian carbon credit units were delivered compared to the original delivery schedule of 13 217 245 Australian carbon credit units (slightly over 100 per cent).

Participants are permitted to re-schedule deliveries with our agreement, and the net position for 2016–17 reflects some early deliveries balanced by some deliveries that have been scheduled to occur later.

A total of 21 828 317 Australian carbon credit units have been delivered under the Emissions Reduction Fund to 30 June 2017.

For more details see Emissions Reduction Fund.

The level of compliance by regulated and liable entities with statutory obligations is an indicator of performance related to our agency’s engagement, education and guidance approach and materials.

• National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme​

A total of 98.1 per cent of expected reporters submitted their 2015–16 emissions and energy reports by the statutory deadline of 31 October 2016. All outstanding reporters (15 in total) submitted their reports within four days of the deadline, resulting in 100 per cent reporting for the period.

Of the reporters that failed to meet the statutory deadline, none had previously submitted a late report. We will continue to monitor compliance of these reporters and recommend compliance action for future breaches of the legislation.

For more details see National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme.

• Renewable Energy Target

A total of 97.5 per cent of liable entities submitted their energy acquisition statements for 2016 by the statutory deadline of 14 February 2017.

A total of 93.8 per cent of liable entities met their Large-scale Renewable Energy Target and Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme certificate liability through a combination of surrendering certificates and using carried-forward surplus from over-surrender in earlier years.

Of the 22 liable entities that incurred a shortfall in relation to 2016, 15 were required to pay shortfall charges.​

For more details see Renewable Energy Target.

• Emissions Reduction Fund

Contract compliance activity was focussed on education and liaison with contract holders. This contributed to contracts delivering ahead of expected abatement.

For more details see Emissions Reduction Fund.

This performance measure indicates the integrity and level of demand for data we publish. Data is resubmitted to address inaccuracies identified by us or by our clients. Resubmission assists with ensuring the integrity of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme data.

• Integrity of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting data

A total of 809 National Greenhouse and Energy reports were submitted in relation to the 2015–16 reporting year. Of these, 54 reports were subsequently resubmitted during 2016–17 to correct data errors. An additional 38 reports covering previous years were also resubmitted.

• Level of usage of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting data

During 2016–17 a total of 2103 energy and emissions reports were downloaded by Commonwealth and state/territory based users. The peak period for report downloads during 2016–17 was quarter three (January to March), due to the release of the 2015–16 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme data set on 28 February 2017. In addition, we made 22 one-off disclosures of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting data to Commonwealth and state/territory based agencies.

For more details see National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme.

To gauge the level of satisfaction and seek feedback from our clients on our registry, we included this additional reporting metric in our annual client survey for 2016 for the first time.

Our 2016 client survey found 78 per cent of clients were satisfied or very satisfied with the agency’s registries and reporting systems. We will continue to use feedback from these surveys to improve client usability.

For more details about our REC Registry see Renewable Energy Target.

The availability of our online systems indicates our agency’s ability to create and foster client confidence in the market through the reliable operation of our systems and registries.

We currently administer five online systems for use by our clients and stakeholders, including our website, the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units (ANREU), the Emissions and Energy Reporting System, the REC Registry and the Client Portal.

These systems fell below 99 per cent average availability in Quarter one of 2016–17 due to an unplanned outage of the ANREU system, and in Quarter four of 2016–17 due to an unplanned outage of our externally provided internet gateway. Both outages were promptly managed and we implemented permanent corrective actions following post incident reviews.

Our compliance with Australian Government Standards is an indicator of our agency’s ability to deliver quality ICT systems to our clients and maintain compliance with the Government’s requirements.

As noted on Management of human resources, we have maintained compliance with the mandatory requirements of the Protective Security Policy Framework and will report such details for 2016–17 in our compliance report to the Minister.

We are implementing an iterative risk-based assessment of compliance with the Protective Security Policy Framework and Information Security Manual through a series of independent assessments focusing on maintaining agency compliance with changes to mandatory and recommended cyber security controls.

For more details about our Security Management Committee see Appendix F, for more details about our security approach see Management of human resources, and for more details about our information and communications technology see Information and communications technology.