Summary
Details
- Australia
REGO is not a universal legal obligation for all electricity generators or electricity users.
It can become practically required where:
A company wants to create REGO certificates.
A generator wants to participate in the GO Scheme.
A product producer wants to use REGO certificates to support low-emissions product claims.
A buyer requires REGO-backed renewable electricity evidence.
A market-based emissions accounting approach requires certificate evidence.
A contract, procurement process or finance arrangement requires REGO certificates.
Participation in REGO is generally voluntary. However, once a participant registers a facility or creates certificates, it must comply with the legal and administrative requirements of the GO Scheme.
Deep dive
- What’s Required
- 1. Participation in the Guarantee of Origin Scheme
- 2. Registration of eligible renewable electricity facilities
- 3. Creation of REGO certificates
- 4. Trading, transfer and retirement
- 5. Relationship with emissions reporting and product claims
- 6. Compliance with the GO Act and GO Rules
- Important Deadlines
- Current Status
- Penalties for Non-Compliance
- 1. Refusal of facility registration
- 2. Refusal or correction of certificate creation
- 3. Suspension or cancellation
- 4. Improper certificate creation consequences
- 5. Commercial and reputational risk
- Examples of Known Violations / Failure Modes
- Resources
📩 Stay ahead of climate regulation and reporting shifts
Regulatory updates, reporting standards, and new climate software — distilled into one concise weekly brief for decision-makers.
Thanks for signing up. Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription.
Practical updates. Once per week.
What’s Required
1. Participation in the Guarantee of Origin Scheme
REGO is one branch of Australia’s broader Guarantee of Origin Scheme, alongside the Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO). The Guarantee of Origin Scheme is designed to track and verify the origin and emissions attributes of renewable electricity and low-emissions products made in Australia.
Participants generally need to:
Register with the Clean Energy Regulator.
Register eligible facilities.
Create REGO certificates for eligible renewable electricity.
Use the Guarantee of Origin Register.
Maintain records supporting certificate creation.
Follow scheme rules, fees and reporting requirements.
Retire or transfer certificates as permitted by the scheme.
2. Registration of eligible renewable electricity facilities
Facilities generating or dispatching electricity from eligible renewable energy sources can participate in REGO. The Clean Energy Regulator states that participants must complete a separate application for each facility and pay a registration fee.
Facility registration may require information on:
Facility owner or operator.
Generation system.
Energy source.
Metering arrangements.
Storage systems, where relevant.
Facility boundaries.
Connection and dispatch arrangements.
Evidence that the facility meets the legal definition under the GO Act.
3. Creation of REGO certificates
REGO certificates track and verify renewable electricity generated in Australia. The Clean Energy Regulator states that REGO certificates can be used to lower electricity-related emissions reported under Product Guarantee of Origin certificates, the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme, or other market-based emissions accounting frameworks.
Certificate creation depends on:
Eligible renewable electricity generation.
Facility registration.
Accurate metering.
Correct calculation of eligible megawatt-hours.
Compliance with GO Act and GO Rules requirements.
Registration of certificates on the GO Register.
4. Trading, transfer and retirement
The Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024 establishes certificates known as REGO certificates and PGO certificates. Official explanatory text states that REGO certificates can be registered on the GO Register, traded through the register and retired, while PGO certificates cannot be traded through the register or retired.
This makes REGO relevant to:
Renewable electricity markets.
Corporate renewable energy claims.
Scope 2 accounting.
Electricity-linked product claims.
Low-carbon product supply chains.
Renewable energy procurement.
Market-based emissions reporting.
5. Relationship with emissions reporting and product claims
REGO is designed to support renewable electricity claims and emissions accounting. It can be used in connection with Product Guarantee of Origin certificates and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme, as well as other market-based emissions accounting frameworks.
This matters for companies that need to show:
Renewable electricity use.
Lower electricity-related emissions.
Renewable input claims for products.
Data supporting low-carbon product certification.
Traceability for energy-intensive manufacturing.
Credible market-based Scope 2 reporting.
6. Compliance with the GO Act and GO Rules
The legal basis for REGO is the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024, supported by subordinate legislation including the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Rules 2025. The Act provides for the creation of REGO certificates and defines the Clean Energy Regulator’s role in administering the scheme.
Participants should review:
GO Act requirements.
GO Rules requirements.
Facility eligibility.
Certificate creation rules.
Transfer and retirement rules.
Recordkeeping obligations.
Fee and charge obligations.
Clean Energy Regulator guidance.
Important Deadlines
REGO is an active Australian scheme with phased implementation and operational requirements rather than one universal deadline.
Important timing points:
The Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024 provides the legislative basis for REGO and PGO certificates.
The Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Rules 2025 provide detailed scheme rules, including renewable electricity certification provisions.
The Clean Energy Regulator has launched the Guarantee of Origin Scheme with two branches: REGO and PGO.
Participants must follow facility registration, certificate creation, and registration processes before making REGO-backed claims.
Fees are addressed through the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Charges) Act 2024 and cost recovery arrangements.
Current Status
REGO is active and administered by the Clean Energy Regulator. The Clean Energy Regulator describes REGO as part of the Guarantee of Origin Scheme and explains that it tracks and verifies the origin of renewable electricity.
Current status:
Active Australian certificate scheme.
Part of the Guarantee of Origin Scheme.
Administered by the Clean Energy Regulator.
Established under the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024.
Supported by GO Rules and charges legislation.
Tracks and verifies renewable electricity generated in Australia.
Supports renewable electricity claims and market-based emissions accounting.
Connected to Product Guarantee of Origin certificates and low-emissions product claims.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
REGO is supported by legislation, so non-compliance can have regulatory consequences where participants misuse the scheme or breach statutory requirements.
Possible consequences include:
1. Refusal of facility registration
The Clean Energy Regulator may refuse to register a facility if it does not meet eligibility or information requirements.
2. Refusal or correction of certificate creation
Certificates may not be accepted, may need correction or may be subject to regulatory scrutiny if creation data is inaccurate.
3. Suspension or cancellation
The Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act includes provisions for proposed suspension or cancellation and restrictions on certificate creation in certain circumstances.
4. Improper certificate creation consequences
The Act includes a provision on improper creation of REGO certificates, indicating that incorrect or improper certificate creation is a regulated issue under the scheme.
5. Commercial and reputational risk
Unsupported renewable electricity claims can create greenwashing risk, contract disputes, investor concerns and loss of credibility in emissions reporting or product claims.
Examples of Known Violations / Failure Modes
Typical failure modes include:
Creating REGO certificates for ineligible electricity.
Registering an incorrect facility boundary.
Using inaccurate metering data.
Claiming renewable electricity use without retiring or holding appropriate certificates.
Double-counting renewable electricity attributes.
Using REGO certificates outside allowed accounting rules.
Misrepresenting REGO-backed claims in product marketing.
Confusing REGO certificates with Product Guarantee of Origin certificates.
Treating REGO as a substitute for NGER compliance.
Treating REGO as a substitute for electricity licensing or grid approval.
Failing to update facility information after technical changes.
Creating certificates while registration or eligibility is suspended.
Not keeping evidence required by the Clean Energy Regulator.
Making export or low-carbon product claims not supported by certificate evidence.
Resources
Cut through the green tape
We don't push agendas. At Net Zero Compare, we cut through the hype and fear to deliver the straightforward facts you need for making informed decisions on green products and services. Whether motivated by compliance, customer demands, or a real passion for the environment, you’re welcome here. We provide reliable information. Why you seek it is not our concern.