Green Target Australia alleged compliance breach 2022

In November 2022, we gathered evidence of breaches involving energy efficient lighting upgrades across farms and businesses in regional Victoria. The accredited person had created Victorian energy efficiency certificates for activities, undertaken by subcontractors, that did not fully meet our compliance requirements.

We suspended Green Target Australia for a period of three months and required them to surrender 14,987 certificates created through activities under the program. Green Target Australia must also undergo an independent audit.

Alleged breaches

The alleged breaches of the rules included overstating the level of pre-upgrade energy use (used to measure the energy savings gained).

After a six-month investigation, Green Target Australia could not provide evidence to prove the level of greenhouse gas abatement being claimed at sites inspected across regional Victoria.

Our determination

We determined that Green Target Australia:

• be suspended for a period of three months
• needed to surrender 14,987 claimed certificates to ensure there is no impact on the certificate market from the non-compliant activities
• must engage an independent auditor to review its internal processes and controls to ensure this does not happen again.

We have referred the matter to Victoria Police and Energy Safe Victoria.