Landfill baseline
The application form required to apply for a landfill baseline is available on the
Safeguard Mechanism forms and guidance page.
Guidance is available to assist responsible emitters understand their obligations and the application and assurance requirements.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Clean Energy Regulator (the agency) on 1300 553 542 or via email
CER-SafeguardBaselines@cleanenergyregulator.gov.au if they have any questions about any aspect of the application process.
Only landfill facilities can apply for a landfill baseline. Unlike calculated or benchmark baselines, landfill baselines do not have an expiry date.
How a landfill baseline is set
The emissions number for landfill baselines is calculated using the following formula:
Landfill baseline = NLCH4t × (1 - CER) × (1 - OF)
NLCH4t is the amount of non-legacy scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions of the facility in the financial year. This figure should include all non-legacy emissions from the facility (i.e., it should
include any non-legacy emissions that are captured). Note that non-legacy emissions that are captured are included for the purposes of calculating the landfill facility's
baseline but
are not included when calculating the facility's
net emissions number.
The agency is set at 0.372. This represents the capture efficiency rate for non-legacy greenhouse gas emissions.
OF is the oxidisation factor in the near surface conditions of the landfill in subsection 5.4(1) of the NGER (Measurement) Determination as in force at the start of the financial year.
A landfill facility's baseline emissions number is calculated each financial year based on information reported annually under the
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2008. For example, this data might be contained in a controlling corporation's section 19 report, a Reporting Transfer Certificate Holder's section 22G report, or a group member's 22X report.
If a landfill facility's non-legacy covered emissions exceed 100,000 tCO2-e in a financial year and its data is not included in any of the above reports, the responsible emitter must report the facility's emissions, under section 22XB. This may occur in situations where the responsible emitter is a local council who is otherwise not required to report under the NGER Act.
Applying for a landfill baseline
Only landfill facilities can apply for a landfill baseline. Landfill facilities are defined under the Safeguard Rule as a facility for the disposal of solid waste as landfill and including a facility that is closed for the acceptance of waste.
Applications for a landfill baseline must be received between 1 July in the financial year the baseline is to start, and 31 October, after the end of the first financial year to be covered by the baseline. This means that for a particular starting year there is a 16-month window during which landfill baseline applications can be submitted.