Title: Carbon Markets

Language: English

Type: Website

Nature: Government Website

Published: October 23, 2023


Region: East Asia and Pacific (EAP)

Country: Australia

Sector: Energy and Power

Keywords: Emission Reduction Program **

Document Link(s):


Document Summary:

The Carbon Markets page is an information source for participants in the market-based schemes administered by the Clean Energy Regulator.


Document Details:

The Clean Energy Regulator administers national carbon markets for:

  • the Emissions Reduction Fund, which supplies Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs)
  • the Renewable Energy Target, which creates tradable large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) and small-scale technology certificates (STCs).

Participation in the Emissions Reduction Fund is voluntary and provides incentives for a range of organisations and individuals to adopt new practices and technologies to reduce their emissions. The Clean Energy Regulator is the major purchaser of ACCUs, however there is increasing demand for ACCUs from businesses and other levels of government, with some purchasers seeking ACCUs with co-benefits.

The Clean Energy Regulator is in the process of developing an Australian Carbon Exchange that will make the trading of ACCUs simpler, supporting rapidly increasing demand from the corporate sector. It will help foster the growth in Australia’s vibrant carbon markets, where ACCUs credited from approved Emissions Reduction Fund projects can be traded among individuals and businesses.

The Renewable Energy Target consists of two schemes: the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) that provides incentives for large-scale renewable energy power stations and the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) that creates incentives to install small-scale renewable energy systems. Demand for renewable energy certificates is set in legislation each year. However, there is increasing demand from businesses and other levels of government for LGCs to offset emissions.


Updated: January 11, 2024