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Verification of corporations registered for Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) commenced in April 2010. The Department has developed a verification model as part of EEO to monitor registered corporations compliance with the 'Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006' and 'Energy Efficiency Opportunities Regulations 2006' (EEO legislation). The model was developed in consultation with program participants from various sectors and having a range of energy use levels, including feedback from companies who have participated in trial verifications and proposals/comments submitted during a formal consultation period in December 2009.
Specifically, verification will:
- validate corporations' compliance with EEO legislation when conducting energy assessments, identifying opportunities and reporting outcomes;
- monitor whether a corporation has carried out its assessment as set out in its approved Assessment and Reporting Schedule (ARS), or where approved by the Department, conducted an appropriate representative assessment if approved in its ARS.
- ensure the company meets the coverage requirements over the full period of the assessment cycle ie. 80 per cent of total energy use and that all sites over 0.5 PJ have been assessed.
In addition, verification will assist the Department to identify corporations who may be undertaking better practices while participating in EEO and potentially provide recognition of their achievements.
The Department has developed the 'Energy Efficiency Opportunities Verification Handbook' 
[PDF, 420KB] to support all corporations participating in verification related activities.
Two types of verification will occur – desktop and full verifications.
Desktop verifications
Each year approximately 100-120 corporations will be chosen to be subject to a desktop verification. Corporations will be required to submit a 'Verification Checklist and Information Request SmartForm' to the Department where an assessment of the risk of non compliance will be undertaken. The results will contribute to the selection of companies to undergo a full verification and site visit.
A Miscrosoft Word version of the 'Verification Checklist and Information Request Form' 
[DOC, 290KB] is available to assist companies compile the necessary information required for the Smartform version AND to be used as part of their records management to support EEO verification. It is not required to be submitted to the Department but provided as a tool to assist corporations. It can be built on over time as corporation procedures, systems and protocols associated with implementing EEO are developed and improved.
Full verification and site visits
Each year, a sample of companies that have contributed to desktop verifications will be selected to participate in a full verification and site visit (as allowed for under Part 8 (Powers of Inspection) of the 'Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006'. The majority of companies selected will have been assessed as having a medium to high risk of non compliance with the remainder being randomly selected.
Full verifications will require corporations to permit a verification team onsite to meet with key people involved in the implementation of EEO, discuss the procedures, protocols and systems developed to implement EEO and to view supporting documentation (evidence) of its implementation. Typically full verifications will occur over several days, however this will depend on the size, structure and geographical dispersion of the corporation and its operational sites.
Departmental representatives will work closely with corporations throughout the verification process, including preparation and planning, undertaking the verification, drafting of the verification report for the corporation CEO and any associated actions required to address identified instances of non compliance.
If you are having trouble viewing links or require further information regarding verification , please contact the EEO Hotline on 1300 799 186.