- Published:
- 8 Oct 2025
- Published by:
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Subordinate Legislation Act 1994
NOTICE OF DECISION
Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007
As the Minister responsible for the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007, I give notice under section 12J (legislative instrument) of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 (the Act) that, further to public consultation on a regulatory impact statement (RIS), I have decided to fix the fees for the Victorian Energy Upgrades program set out in the table below. The fees will take effect as per the table below.
Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007
FEES UNDER SECTION 73
| Reference to the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007 | Fee as of 1 January 2026 |
|---|---|
Application for registration of a certificate (section 22(3)b) of the VEET Act) (note: the application for registration may also be referred to as creation) | $4.35 |
| Application for accreditation (section 9(1)(a) of the VEET Act) | $3,000 |
| Application for renewal of accreditation (section 9(1)(b) of the VEET Act) | $1,000 |
| Application for approval of a project impact report, where there has been no prior approval of an application for a project impact report for the project (regulation 11 of the PBA Regulations) | $500 |
| Application to list a product on the ESC Register (regulation 32 of the VEET Regulations) | $500 |
| Lodgement of an energy acquisition statement (section 33 of the VEET Act) | $4,829 |
| Request for reconsideration of a reviewable decision (section 56 of the VEET Act) | $750 |
| Late lodgement of an application for renewal of accreditation | $7,376 |
| Application to open a VEET scheme registry account | $2,000 |
| Application for variation of conditions of accreditation | $1,500 |
The RIS and an exposure draft of the notice to fix fees were advertised for public consultation on the Engage Victoria website from 2 December 2024 to 16 January 2025. The RIS assessed five different options for setting the fees based on five different target levels for 2026 and 2027, using a cost-benefit analysis. Option 2 was identified as the preferred option and would prescribe emission reduction targets for 2026 to 2027 that are equal to 5.0 and 6.0 million Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates respectively, with an associated certificate fee of $3.61.
Stakeholders were able to provide feedback via written submissions and survey responses. 66 total responses were received, with 24 responses to questions on fees. This feedback has been considered in accordance with section 11(3) of the Act.
Feedback related to the target level and the fees. Most stakeholders (71 per cent, 17 respondents) were against or somewhat against a fee increase, however many noted that they agree that the proposed fees are reasonable in the context of maintaining the program’s operational integrity and are important to ensure the program is financially viable due to rising costs of operation.
After considering stakeholder feedback on targets, the targets were set in the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Regulations 2018 at a level in between Option 1 and 2 in the RIS. Due to the change in targets, the certificate fee required remodelling to ensure the Essential Services Commission could achieve cost recovery under a different set of targets to the preferred option in the RIS, and account for increasing operating costs. The fees for lodging an energy acquisition statement and for late lodgement of application for renewal of accreditation have not changed since the RIS consultation. The revised certificate fee is proposed to be set at the highest level assessed in the RIS to factor in the increased operating costs, rather than being set at the certificate fee closest to the target level as assessed in the RIS.
After consideration of the submissions, I have decided that the proposed legislative instrument should be made, with amendments to the drafts of the proposed Notice to Fix Fees that were released for public comment. The key amendments include:
- The proposed legislative instrument will set the certificate fee at $4.35.
I hereby give notice of the decision to make the proposed legislative instrument.
The revised fees will come into effect on 1 January 2026.
A copy of the Notice to Fix Fees and a Statement of Reasons which summarises the issues raised in consultation submissions will be published on the Engage Victoria website: https://engage.vic.gov.au/victorian-energy-upgrades-program-targets and available in hard copy upon request (by emailing energy.upgrades@deeca.vic.gov.au) at: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002.
HON. LILY D'AMBROSIO MP
Minister for Energy and Resources
Updated