Financial incentives for businesses to reduce their carbon emissions
The Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme provides businesses and individuals the opportunity to run projects that reduce emissions or store carbon and earn Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) for every tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent their project stores or avoids.
ACCUs can be sold on the secondary market or to the Australian Government and can generate participants an income.
Participation in the scheme is open to individuals, sole traders, companies, local, state and territory government bodies and trusts.
To be eligible, projects must:
- be new
- go beyond business-as-usual activities
- not be required by law
- not be receiving financial support from specified government programs, such as the New South Wales and Victorian energy efficiency schemes
- follow an approved method, which sets out the rules for running the project and estimating emissions reductions
- and not be an excluded activity listed in the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015
Project types and examples include vegetation management, agriculture, energy consumption, waste, transport, coal and gas production, and industrial processes.
Participants earn one ACCU for every tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO2-e) their project stores or avoids.
Get a personalised eligibility check — your match score, which criteria you meet, and what to watch out for.
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Last updated: 12 February 2026