An ESC, or Energy Savings Certificate, is created under the NSW Energy Savings Scheme for energy savings measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. One ESC equals one tonne of CO2-e. They are created by accredited certificate providers (ACPs) for approved activities such as residential hot water, air conditioning and efficiency upgrades, then sold to electricity retailers and others who must surrender them.
The price
Market commentary reported the ESC spot price at about $29 in late September 2026, after about $28.75 earlier that month. Treat this as a reported range and not a quote. There is no official price; it is set by trades between providers and buyers, and it moves.
| Certificate | Scheme | Reported level, late Sept 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| ESC | Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) | about $29 |
| PRC | Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) | about $3 |
| STC | Federal SRES | roughly $38 to $40 |
Why the price moves
- The creation of new certificates: rule changes that make activities easier to claim can increase supply.
- Retailer demand to meet the annual energy savings target.
- Where the target and penalty settings sit as the scheme is reviewed.
- Seasonality, since compliance deadlines affect buying.
How an installer actually sees the price
Most installers do not trade ESCs on the open market. A certificate provider takes the paperwork, creates and registers certificates, and passes value back through an upfront discount on the customer’s quote or a payment. The figure on the quote is smaller than the market price because the ACP has costs, risk and fees. Look for the net per-certificate amount and the settlement timing, and see how ESC pricing works.
ESC versus VEEC and STC
The three markets are separate: each has its own regulator, its own buyers and its own price. A rise in one tells you little about another. Installers working across states often hold all three, which is why a single desk that understands each scheme saves time.
Checking a figure
Because the market is thin and quotes differ by broker, treat a single price as a guide. If an ESC price matters to a decision, check it on the day with your provider and ask whether it is a bid, an offer or a trade.
What this means for installers
If you install hot water or air conditioning in NSW, ask your provider how many ESCs it expects for a model, what rate it applies, and when you are paid. If you also create federal certificates, such as STCs for a heat pump, the two are separate lines on the same job. See heat pump hot water in NSW, the NSW pillar, and for the federal side the hot water STCs page and pricing.