Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Wastewater) Methodology Determination 2015.
Act means the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.
anaerobic digester means a system that:
(a) is a covered lagoon or an engineered biodigester; and
(b) consists of:
(i) one or more closed units designed to promote anaerobic digestion; and
(ii) a biogas collection system; and
(iii) any equipment associated with the transfer of biogas to:
(A) a combustion device; or
(B) a biogas upgrading system.
anaerobic digestion means a biological process in which organic matter is broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen.
appropriate measuring requirements, in relation to a measurement or estimate, means requirements that are consistent with:
(a) requirements that apply in relation to similar measurements or estimates under the NGER (Measurement) Determination; or
(b) relevant standards and other requirements under the National Measurement Act 1960.
biogas means a mixture of gases including methane that is generated as a result of anaerobic digestion and includes landfill gas.
biogas generation for biomethane has the meaning given by subsection 8A(2).
biogas source facility, in relation to a project, means a facility that supplies biogas to be treated as part of the project so as to produce biomethane and includes:
(a) a facility producing biogas for a project biomethane facility; and
(b) in cases where the biogas is produced at a project biomethane facility—that project biomethane facility.
Note: A biomethane facility can be its own biogas source facility if the biomethane facility also produces biogas to be treated by carrying out biomethane production.
biogas upgrading means the process by which biogas is refined and stripped of impurities to produce biomethane, which may include (but is not limited to):
(a) pre-treatment processing of biogas; or
(b) the drying or scrubbing of biogas; or
(c) post-treatment processing compression of the refined biomethane produced by the process.
biogas upgrading system means a system of equipment that is capable of undertaking biogas upgrading.
biogas waste means putrescible organic waste material that can be treated through anaerobic digestion to produce biogas.
biomethane means a high-methane content gas that is:
(a) produced by biogas upgrading; and
(b) suitable for use as a natural gas substitute.
biomethane conversion and displacement project has the meaning given by
section 8C.
biomethane displacement-only project has the meaning given by section 8D.
biomethane facility means a facility:
(a) at which biomethane production is undertaken or intended to be undertaken; and
(b) from which the resulting biomethane is sent, or is proposed to be sent, to an end use where it can reasonably be expected to be combusted within Australia as a natural gas substitute.
Note 1: If biogas upgrading occurs at the project treatment facility, the project treatment facility may also be a biomethane facility.
Note 2: Biomethane facilities that are used in a wastewater project that involves biogas generation for biomethane or biomethane production become known as project biomethane facilities.
Note 3: The section 22 application or section 128 application for a biomethane conversion and displacement project or a biomethane displacement-only project, and the section 22 application for a restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project or a restarting biomethane displacement-only project, must include details of at least one project biomethane facility (see paragraph 8I(2)(d)).
biomethane production has the meaning given by subsection 8A(3).
chemical oxygen demand, or COD, means the total material available for chemical oxidation (both biodegradable and non-biodegradable).
combustion device means:
(a) a boiler, or an internal combustion engine, that is operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions; or
(b) a flare that has a monitoring and control system and is operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions; or
(c) a device:
(i) that combusts biogas with a destruction efficiency of at least 98%; and
(ii) that is operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions; and
(iii) the combustion process of which is controlled using a monitoring and control system.
complete, in relation to the combustion of methane or biomethane, is combustion with a destruction efficiency of 98% or more of the methane.
conversion abatement, in relation to a project, means the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a reporting period (worked out in accordance with Division 2 of Part 4) attributable to the conversion of methane (CH4) to carbon dioxide (CO2) by carrying out:
(a) biogas generation for biomethane; or
(b) emissions destruction.
Note: Biogas generation for biomethane involves sending biogas to a biogas upgrading system to be turned into biomethane. This biogas is considered to have its methane component converted to carbon dioxide, as if it had been sent to a combustion device, because subsequent usage of the biomethane results in its combustion.
covered lagoon means a lagoon that:
(a) is an existing anaerobic lagoon (the uncovered lagoon) that is covered to create a closed unit; and
(b) does not contain any heating or stirring features that were not present in the uncovered lagoon.
deep open anaerobic lagoon means an open lagoon:
(a) with a depth of more than 2 metres; and
(b) in which the biological treatment of biomass or other organic matter occurs through anaerobic digestion; and
(c) from which the resulting methane emissions are not captured and are instead vented into the atmosphere.
digestate means the residual solids or semisolids stream that:
(a) remains in an anaerobic digester following anaerobic treatment; and
(b) must be removed periodically.
displacement abatement, in relation to a project, means the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a reporting period (worked out in accordance with Division 3 of Part 4), attributable to biomethane production.
domestic or commercial wastewater has the meaning given by subsection 5.23(2) of the NGER (Measurement) Determination.
effluent, in relation to a deep open anaerobic lagoon, means the liquid outflow from the lagoon.
eligible biogas waste means biogas waste that is:
(a) domestic or commercial wastewater, or industrial wastewater; or
(b) mixed solid waste within the meaning of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Alternative Waste Treatment) Methodology Determination 2015; or
(c) eligible organic material within the meaning of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Source Separated Organic Waste) Methodology Determination 2016; or
(d) eligible animal effluent biogas waste within the meaning of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Animal Effluent Management) Methodology Determination 2019.
Note: The proportion of eligible waste used to generate biogas to be treated by carrying out biomethane production within the project must be able to be determined.
eligible wastewater, in relation to a wastewater project, means:
from an historical source for the project.
emissions destruction has the meaning given by subsection 8A(4).
engineered biodigester means a purpose-built closed vessel that:
(a) is for the biological treatment of organic matter through anaerobic digestion; and
(b) has heating and stirring features; and
(c) is not a covered lagoon.
Note: Examples of engineered biodigesters include the following:
(a) plug flow reactors;
(b) continuously stirred tank reactors;
(c) fixed film digesters;
(d) up flow anaerobic sludge blanket digesters.
forerunner project:
(a) in relation to a restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project—has the meaning given by paragraph 8E(a); or
(b) in relation to a restarting biomethane displacement-only project—has the meaning given by paragraph 8F(a).
historical period of sampling means, for each deep open anaerobic lagoon that is replaced as part of a wastewater project, the period during which sampling was undertaken from the operation of that lagoon for the purposes of working out baseline emissions for the project using Subdivision 4 of Division 3 of Part 4, which:
(a) was 1 year or 10 consecutive days; and
(b) started no earlier than 18 months before the day on which a section 22 application is made in relation to the project; and
(c) for each deep open anaerobic lagoon that is part of the same treatment facility—is the same period of time as the historical period of sampling for each other deep open anaerobic lagoon that is part of the treatment facility.
Note 1: For a particular deep open anaerobic lagoon, the period must be the same for all sampling undertaken for the purposes of using Subdivision 4 of Division 3 of Part 4.
Note 2: Each deep open anaerobic lagoon that is part of the same treatment facility must have the same historical period of sampling.
historical source, for a wastewater project, means a source from which:
entered a lagoon being replaced in the project during the 12 month period ending on the day before a section 22 application is made in relation to the project.
industrial wastewater has the meaning given by subsection 5.40(2) of the NGER (Measurement) Determination.
ineligible material, in relation to a wastewater project, means any organic material treated in an anaerobic digester installed as part of the project that is not eligible wastewater for the project.
influent, in relation to a deep open anaerobic lagoon, means:
entering the lagoon.
major venting event: a major venting event occurs when biogas in the storage capacity of an anaerobic digester is released to the atmosphere in a way that does not represent the proper operation of the anaerobic digester, including:
(a) when the biogas is released intentionally (for example, for safety or maintenance purposes); and
(b) when the biogas is released unintentionally (for example, as the result of a system failure).
monitoring and control system has the meaning given by section 5A.
monitoring requirements means the requirements set out in section 45.
natural gas means a substance that:
(a) is in a gaseous state at standard temperature and pressure; and
(b) consists of naturally occurring hydrocarbons, or a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbons, the principal constituent of which is methane; and
(c) is suitable for consumption.
NGA Factors document means the document entitled “National Greenhouse Accounts Factors”, published by the Department and as in force from time to time.
Note: In December 2022, the NGA Factors document could be viewed on the Department’s website (http://www.industry.gov.au).
NGER (Measurement) Determination means the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008.
non-biomethane project has the meaning given by section 8B.
non-monitored period has the meaning given by subsection 46(1).
project activity means an activity of the type listed in subsection 8A(1).
project biomethane facility, in relation to a project that involves biomethane production, means a biomethane facility that is used in carrying out the project.
Note: The section 22 application or section 128 application for a biomethane conversion and displacement project or a biomethane displacement-only project, and the section 22 application for a restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project or a restarting biomethane displacement-only project, must include details of at least one project biomethane facility (see paragraph 8I(2)(d)).
project treatment facility, in relation to a project that involves emissions destruction, or biogas generation for biomethane, means a treatment facility that is used in carrying out the project.
Note: The section 22 application or section 128 application for a biomethane conversion and displacement project or a non-biomethane project, and the section 22 application for a restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project, must include details of at least one project treatment facility (see paragraphs 8H(2)(c) and 8I(2)(c)).
project type means a project of the type listed in subsection 7(3).
restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project has the meaning given by section 8E.
restarting biomethane displacement-only project has the meaning given by section 8F.
section 22 application, in relation to an eligible offsets project, means the application under section 22 of the Act in relation to the project.
section 128 application, in relation to an eligible offsets project, means an application under section 128 of the Act to apply this determination to the project.
sludge means the solid or semisolid material that:
(a) accumulates at the bottom of an anaerobic lagoon; and
(b) is periodically cleaned out.
source, of wastewater, means the point of generation of the wastewater, which may be expressed as a physical location where the wastewater generation occurs or as a specific activity or facility that generates the wastewater.
treatment facility means a facility that treats eligible wastewater by carrying out emissions destruction, or biogas generation for biomethane, being a facility that includes:
(a) one or more deep open anaerobic lagoons that are replaced as part of a wastewater project; and
(b) one or more anaerobic digesters installed as part of the project to replace those deep open anaerobic lagoons; and
(c) associated equipment required to treat wastewater and capture and transport biogas generated by the installed anaerobic digesters.
Note 1: Treatment facilities that are used in a wastewater project that involves emissions destruction, or biogas generation for biomethane, become known as project treatment facilities. Division 4 of Part 3 imposes additional requirements on project treatment facilities.
Note 2: The section 22 application or section 128 application for a biomethane conversion and displacement project or a non-biomethane project, and the section 22 application for a restarting biomethane conversion and displacement project, must include details of at least one project treatment facility (see paragraphs 8G(2)(c) and 8H(2)(c)).
wastewater project has the meaning given by subsection 7(2).