How To Register a Heat Pump Water Heater for STCs

EnergyAE is your specialist partner for registering solar and heat pump products for STCs under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).

About the STC Scheme

The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is a nationwide incentive scheme in Australia for solar water heaters (SWHs) and air source heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) administered by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER).

The SRES incentivises households and small businesses to install SWHs and HPWHs up to 425 L. We work on behalf of manufacturers who want their products listed on the CER’s Register of Solar Water Heaters. The more efficient a product is, the more certificates it will be entitled to.

1 STC (small-scale technology certificate) is equivalent to 1 MWh of energy saved (relative to an electric storage water heater) per year over the deeming period. STCs have a market value of approximately $35–40 each, providing consumers with a discount on the product.

Adding Products to the Register

Three times per year there is a call to submit an application to add products to the Register. EnergyAE takes care of many of the tasks necessary to get products listed, including compiling technical information, TRNSYS modelling, writing the report, and submitting to the CER.

Testing

Manufacturers must liaise with an Accredited Certification Body (ACB) such as SAI Global or IAPMO to determine which tests are required depending on the product.

For solar water heaters, required tests include:

Solar collector testing (AS 2535)
Tank heat loss testing (AS/NZS 4692.1)
System testing (AS/NZS 2712)
Gas auxiliary booster testing (AS 4552) — if applicable
Electrical safety testing
Watermark testing (AS 4020)
Energy performance testing (AS/NZS 4234)

For heat pump water heaters, required tests include:

Heat pump performance testing (AS/NZS 5125.1)
Tank heat loss testing (AS/NZS 4692.1)
Electrical safety testing
Watermark testing (AS 4020)
Energy performance testing (AS/NZS 4234)

EnergyAE provides the energy performance AS/NZS 4234 report, which is based on results from all other test reports.

Certification

Once all testing has been completed, the results are submitted to your ACB (SAI Global or IAPMO) for AS/NZS 2712 certification. Once your products are listed on your AS/NZS 2712 certificate and schedule, you are ready to submit to the schemes.

Submission

EnergyAE can take care of the whole submission process. Three times per year there is a call to submit applications to add products to the CER SWH and ASHP Register.

We will submit the documentation for each product, which includes:

Tank drawings and schematics
Test reports
TRNSYS files
Application forms

The regulator will come back to us with any questions relating to the submission. The product will be added to the register within 3 months of application, and then become eligible to claim certificates.

Other Schemes

As well as STCs, SWH and HPWH products are also eligible for VEECs in Victoria and ESCs in NSW. Contact us to discuss multi-scheme registration for your products.