Please note: The REES initiative below has been superseded by the current Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS).

Originally REES was a South Australian government initiative that required energy retailers to help households and businesses save on energy use and costs, and lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

This was done by setting energy efficiency and audit targets for energy retailers to meet. Retailers with a large number of residential customers were set additional targets that ensured a certain amount of the energy savings activities they did were delivered to low-income households.

Customers can contact any of the REES obliged retailers or third-party contractors to find out what energy savings activities were available for homes or businesses.

The REES was implemented through Part 4 of the Electricity (General) Regulations 2012 under the Electricity Act 1996 and Part 4 of the Gas Regulations 2012 under the Gas Act 1997, and is administered by the Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA).

Find out more about energy efficiency assistance and the REES.

Thresholds and targets

The REES consisted of two three-year stages: 2015 to 2017 and 2018 to 2020. The Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy set the annual REES targets at the beginning of each stage. As the REES administrator, ESCOSA then allocated the targets to each obliged energy retailer.

Key elements for REES operation for 2018 to 2020 were published in the 11 July 2017 Government Gazette, from page 2839 onward. These included the targets, obligation thresholds, and how targets were allocated for the period. Designated purchases for 2018 to 2020 are as published in the 11 December 2014 Government Gazette, on page 6648.

Targets201820192020
Annual energy efficiency targets (normalised gigajoules of energy)2,300,0002,300,0002,300,000
The amount of the total annual energy efficiency target to achieve by providing energy efficiency activities to priority group households (normalised gigajoules of energy)500,000500,000500,000
Annual energy audit target (number of audits)7,3677,3677,367

Energy audits and energy efficiency activities

The 29 August 2017 Government Gazette (pages 3723–3766) and 5 December 2017 Government Gazette (page 4807) included minimum specifications for 2018 to 2020 for:

  • energy audits that energy retailers can deliver to meet any energy audit targets
  • energy efficiency activities that energy retailers can deliver to meet their energy efficiency targets.

For competency requirements for people providing a REES energy audit, and for details about how to conduct an audit, download the energy audit specification:

Activity review and reporting – ministerial protocol

The REES Ministerial Protocol (PDF, 320.4 KB) provided guidelines for:

  • how the Minister determines the range of approved energy efficiency activities
  • reporting requirements for ESCOSA in its role as scheme administrator.

Activity specifications

Please note: The activity specifications below were for the old REES initiative and are outdated. They are shown here to provide background. Current activity specifications sit with the REPS initiative.

For more information that applied to all approved REES energy efficiency activities, download the general specifications (PDF, 263.5 KB).

Note that a number of these specifications make reference to the government's installation of ceiling insulation – consumer safety self-assessment and installer acknowledgement form (PDF, 314.9 KB).

Insulation

Building sealing

Glazing

Heating and cooling

Water heating

Lighting

Stand-by power

Appliances

Alternative method

In-home display