The Australian Government has launched the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme, a voluntary framework designed to bolster businesses and exporters navigating the growing global demand for renewable electricity and clean energy. Administered by the Clean Energy Regulator, the scheme provides a product-based emissions accounting framework for selected commodities, tracking emissions and related data across the supply chain.
The GO scheme is poised to benefit consumers by offering a publicly accessible record of renewable electricity use and product certificates, thereby increasing transparency. This transparency is expected to support Australian producers in accessing emerging domestic and export low-emissions markets. The scheme will certify the emissions of products such as hydrogen and green metals, providing consumers, investors, and industry stakeholders with greater confidence in their low-carbon credentials. Additionally, it will certify renewable electricity, delivering clear and transparent evidence to substantiate claims of renewable electricity generation and use.
Australia’s Minister of Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, emphasized the significance of the global shift to clean energy, stating, “The global shift to clean energy represents one of the biggest economic transformations since the Industrial Revolution – and it presents Australia with an enormous economic and jobs opportunity.” Bowen highlighted that global investment in clean energy projects is set to rise over $2tn, and the GO scheme provides the regulatory certainty that Australian businesses and investors need to increase their share in this market.
Industry participants can now register with the Clean Energy Regulator for two types of certificates: Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO) and Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO). PGO certificates record the emissions intensity and key attributes of clean products such as green hydrogen, while REGO certificates verify when, where, and how renewable electricity was generated. The REGO certification will run concurrently with the Renewable Energy Target certification scheme for a period of five years, ensuring long-term certainty for investment and procurement in renewable electricity.
For industries investing in clean energy and manufacturing, the GO scheme is expected to play a key role in enabling access to the Albanese national government’s Future Made in Australia initiatives. These initiatives include the $4bn Hydrogen HeadStart programme, the $6.7bn Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive, and the $2bn Green Aluminium Production Credit.
Assistant Minister of Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson noted, “The GO scheme will help Australia to realise the full economic potential of the energy transition by supporting jobs and investment in a Future Made in Australia, and it will give Australian producers the confidence and credibility they need to compete in a global economy that’s rapidly decarbonising.” Wilson emphasized that the GO scheme is a high-integrity certificate scheme that will demonstrate how products are made and attest to their life cycle emissions, opening access to high-value domestic and international markets that demand low-emissions products and transparency.
The introduction of the GO scheme is likely to shape the development of the sector by providing a robust framework for emissions accounting and certification. This will not only enhance transparency and confidence in the low-carbon credentials of Australian products but also support the country’s ambition to become a leader in the global clean energy transition. The scheme’s alignment with key government initiatives further underscores its potential to drive significant investment and job creation in the clean energy sector.