Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move amendment (1) standing in my name on sheet 6116:

(1)    Schedule 1, item 96, page 58 (lines 28 to 30), omit subparagraph 141AA(c)(ii), substitute:

                  (ii)    a statement that the certificate was created in relation to a solar water heater other than an air source heat pump water heater, or that it was created in relation to an air source heat pump water heater, or that it was created in relation to a small generation unit (as appropriate)

The amendment relates the publication of information about certificates for air source heat pump water heaters. This amendment addresses the need for clear information to be published about the uptake of renewable energy certificates for small-scale technologies. Currently, the information provided includes both solar and electric heat pumps within the one group. I believe it would be useful for further assessment of the RECs scheme to see how many certificates are allocated to various technologies and in what amounts.

I am grateful to Minister Wong’s office for providing details of the proportion of the historical and projected REC creation for small-scale technologies such as heat pumps and solar hot water heaters, but that information is not readily available. From a public policy and public interest point of view, I believe that information ought to be published. We now have the information about the RECs created for small-scale technologies but it is not broken down into electric heat pumps and solar hot water heaters. That is what this amendment is about. It is a transparency measure and I urge my colleagues to support it.