6 mins read
Published Feb 16, 2026
Australia’s Guarantee of Origin Scheme Explained: Supporting the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia Plan
Australia’s Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme is a new voluntary framework designed to record and attest to the origin and emissions profile of clean energy products.
In simple terms, GO acts like a “passport” for energy. It records where and how a unit of energy or fuel was produced, and how much carbon was emitted in making it.
By providing an official, government-backed certificate for clean energy, the scheme enhances transparency and helps businesses access emerging low-carbon markets.
What the GO Scheme Covers Today
Officially launched on November 3rd, 2025, the Guarantee of Origin scheme currently covers two key areas: renewable electricity and hydrogen.
Renewable Electricity GO (REGO)
The first part, known as the Renewable Electricity GO (REGO), tracks and verifies renewable power generation. For example, if a company generates electricity from solar panels or wind turbines, the REGO system issues a certificate confirming that electricity is 100 percent renewable, including details like where and when it was produced.
Product GO (PGO)
The second part is the Product GO (PGO), which initially covers hydrogen fuel. In this early phase, the scheme is open to hydrogen produced via electrolysis (using renewable energy), often referred to as "green hydrogen." Every unit of hydrogen fuel can receive a digital GO certificate showing reported emissions intensity across defined production, transport, and use stages. As the hydrogen moves from the production site through transport and eventually to end use, the certificate is updated with additional information through a centralised registry.
It will note, for instance, the emissions from transporting the hydrogen (by truck, pipeline, ship, etc.) and where the hydrogen is finally used. This means anyone, from a business buying the hydrogen to an overseas customer, can see a transparent record of that fuel’s journey and emissions intensity.
Expansion to Low-Carbon Liquid Fuels in 2026
The Australian Government plans to expand the GO scheme to other low-emission products, notably low-carbon liquid fuels (LCLFs) in 2026.
Low-carbon liquid fuels include sustainable biofuels or synthetic fuels, for example, renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that can power vehicles and planes with much lower net carbon emissions than conventional petrol or jet fuel.
Once the expansion occurs, producers of these cleaner fuels will be able to participate in this scheme to obtain Guarantee of Origin certificates for their fuel, similar to the hydrogen certificates. If you are producing SAF, as GO expands in 2026, you may be able to demonstrate the production profile and emissions intensity of your fuels under a government-backed framework, enhancing credibility with airlines, regulators, and international markets. Likewise, buyers would gain greater confidence that any “green” fuel claim is backed by traceable, transparent emissions intensity data across production, transport, and end use.
The scheme is also expected to grow to cover biomethane (renewable gas), metals (such as "green" steel made with clean energy), and hydrogen produced through other pathways. This broader coverage means the GO framework could become a unified system for certifying a range of lower carbon fuels and products across Australia’s economy.
How Digital Traceability Systems support Clean Energy Products
Compliance with the Guarantee of Origin (GO) scheme may be managed at lower production and transaction volumes using manual or semi-manual processes. However, as supply and demand for low-emission energy and materials scale, these approaches become increasingly difficult to maintain, prone to error, and challenging to withstand ongoing compliance and audit requirements. In this context, digital traceability systems provide the essential backbone for applying emissions-intensity calculations and traceability frameworks consistently, enabling robust tracking, verification, and transparent management of sustainability attributes as markets grow.
Beyond compliance, digital traceability strengthens transparency across the full lifecycle of clean energy products, from feedstock and production inputs through to transport, storage, and end use. By standardising data collection and enabling blockchain verification, these systems ensure that sustainability attributes are credible, transferable, and trusted by regulators, buyers, and investors. In doing so, they not only protect market integrity but also unlock commercial value by supporting certification, financing eligibility, and access to premium markets.
How To Prepare for the Australian Guarantee of Origin Scheme
Noviqtech’s Carbon Central and Fuel Central provide digital infrastructure that helps producers prepare for Guarantee of Origin participation. Together, they structure production tracking, energy use, emissions intensity, and fuel movement data in a format aligned with GO reporting requirements. These platforms support internal systems, audits, and data readiness required for the certificate issuance by the GO scheme administrator.
With NoviqTech's Carbon Central, producers can:
Digitalise production
Create digital twins of your facility to enable fuel outputs, energy use and emissions intensity tracking at a batch-level.
Renewable electricity
Record renewable electricity inputs and Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) surrenders for reduced emissions intensity.
Capture emissions and sustainability data
Capture emissions intensity data across scope 1,2 and 3 with highest confidence through on-site integrations with meters and sensors.
Maintain audit-ready evidence
Ensure that every digital certificate has underlying data, timestamps, and historical records to support verification in accordance with GO requirements.
Figure 1: Example of Carbon Central's Sustainability Information.
Conclusion
Australia’s Guarantee of Origin scheme represents a major step toward a more transparent and accountable clean energy market. By certifying renewable electricity, hydrogen, and soon low-carbon liquid fuels, it gives both producers and buyers the confidence that sustainability claims are supported by verifiable, traceable data.
Traceability and lifecycle emissions tracking are the foundation of that trust. Platforms like Carbon Central and Fuel Central make it easier for producers to meet GO expectations and prepare for certification through structured, audit-ready records.
Contact us today to start preparing for your GO compliance and navigate the path to certification with confidence.
