It’s now easier to sell energy-efficient appliances
The Australian Government has made it easier for businesses to sell energy-efficient appliances such as air conditioners, fridges and TVs. This has been made possible with the passing of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Amendment (Administrative Changes) Bill 2023 (GEMS Bill) on 20 September 2023.
The changes modernise the GEMS Act 2012, making it easier for businesses and industry to comply with the regulations. They also provide flexibility to introduce more energy efficient products in the Australian market.
The changes improve a regulation that has already made significant contributions to Australia’s effort to address climate change. In the 10 years since the GEMS Act was passed, it has reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by between 40 and 60 mega tonnes of CO2. It has also saved Australian households and businesses between $11.8 billion and $17.8 billion in reduced energy bills.
The improvements include:
- Businesses only need to register a custom GEMS-related product when the product has been produced and is ready to supply to the buyer.
- The GEMS Regulator will be able to exempt a product from a specific rule in a requirement, rather than making them exempt from the entire requirement.
- The GEMS Regulator can recognise new and updated testing methods that are at least equivalent to Australian standards and remove the need to conduct testing specifically for the Australian market.
These updates also support the National Energy Transformation Partnership by helping Australia meet its international commitments to climate change and reach net zero by 2050.
The changes will be incorporated into the GEMS Act 2012 shortly. See the Federal Register of Legislation - Australian Government compilations area (link below) for more information.
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