Release of updated requirements and clarification for water heating activities (activities 1 and 3) and a minor clarification update for the Commercial and Industrial Heat Pump Water Heater activity (activity 44).
Updates to water heating activities (activities 1, 3 and 44)
1 July 2024
Water heating product changes (activities 1, 3 and 44)
Removal of certain water heating products from the VEU program
Under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Specifications – Version16.0 (the VEU Specifications) the following water heating products are no longer eligible to be installed under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program from 1 July 2024.
Certain heat pump water heater products under activities 1D and 3C
From 1 July 2024, only heat pump water heaters using refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 700 will be eligible to be installed under activities 1D and 3C of the VEU program.
Products registered under product categories 1D and 3C that have a GWP of 700 or more have been designated an ‘effective to’ date of 30 June 2024 in the Commission Register of Products. This means that accredited persons will not be able to claim Victorian energy efficiency certificates (VEECs) for these products when installed from 1 July 2024.
Certain water heating products tested to the AS/NZS 4234:2008 standard under activities 1C and 1D
From 1 July 2024, only water heater products (electric boosted solar water heaters and heat pump water heaters) registered as being tested in accordance with AS/NZS 4234:2021 in the Commission Register of Products under product categories 1C and 1D are eligible to be installed under the VEU program.
Water heater products which have been registered in the Commission Register of Products as being tested in accordance with AS/NZS 4234:2008 have been designated an ’effective to’ date of 30 June 2024 in the Commission Register of Products. This means that accredited persons will not be able to claim VEECs for these products when installed from 1 July 2024.
Update to Water Heating and Space Heating Activity Guide
We have updated the Water Heating and Space Heating Activity Guide to reflect above specification changes commencing 1 July 2024.
We have also made the following updates to the activity guide:
- Clarification that refrigerant handling licence requirements only apply to handling and disposal of refrigerants covered by the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (Cth) (for example, fluorocarbon refrigerants only).
- Update to include further guidance on plumbing licence requirements we have received from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), particularly in respect of heat pump water heater upgrades.
Minor update to Commercial and Industrial Heat Pump Water Heater (activity 44) Activity Guide
We have released a minor update to table 2 of the Commercial and Industrial Heat Pump Water Heater Activity Guide to clarify that existing storage tanks cannot be used in the place of a modelled tank component under activity scenario 44A(iii) – the no decommissioning scenario. This reflects the requirements as stated in table 44.1 of the VEU Specifications.
Where to get help
If you have any questions with respect to the information set out in this update, please contact VEU support on (03) 9032 1310 or veu@esc.vic.gov.au.