. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/AUS/19
17 July 2003
(03-3870)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   AUSTRALIA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Australian Greenhouse Office
GPO Box 621, CANBERRA ACT 2600.
Telephone: 61 2 6274 1888
Facsimile: 61 2 6274 1884
Email: www.greenhouse.gov.au
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [     ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [ X], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Solar Water Heaters
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Renewable Energy
(Electricity) Act 2000 & Renewable Energy (E lectricity) Regulations 2001 (incorporating
Amendment Regulations 2003 (No.1)).
6. Description of content:   For the definition of solar water heater  in subsection 5 (1) of the
Act, a device that heats water using solar energy is a solar water heater only:
(a) on or after the date or for the period mentioned for the item in Part 2 of
Schedule 7;  and
(b) if:
(i) for a device that has a capacity of up to 700 L — an accredited bod y
has given the device product certification to Australian Standar d
2712-2002, as in force on 27 August 2002;  or
(ii) for a device that has a capacity of more than 700 L:
(A) an accredited body has given the device component
certification in accordance with the appropriate Australian
Standard, as mentioned in section 1.3 of Australian Standar d
2712-2002, as in force on 27 August 2002;  and
(B) the storage tank of the device meets the requirements of
Australian Standard 1056 or the requirements set out in the
guideline published by the Regulator entitled ‘Heat Loss TestProcedure for Solar Water Heaters with a Hot Water StorageG/TBT/N/AUS/19
Page 2
Tank greater than 700 L’, as in force at the commencement of
this sub-subparagraph.
Note   The guideline mentioned in sub-subparagraph (B) is available from the Office of the
Renewable Energy Regulator, GPO Box 621, Canberra ACT 2601 or from the
website:  http://www.orer.gov.au .
The AGO references the AS/NZS (Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard) as a quality
control mechanism for solar water heaters.  By ensuring that manufacturers gain
certification for their systems to this standard, only durable solar water heater models
suitable for Australian conditions are eligible.  Such models have assured features in
construction, design, performance, and labelling over an acceptable period.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
The aim of the Australian Standard for solar water heaters is to ensure that hot water of
acceptable quality is consistently delivered to the consumer over an acceptable period.  To
ensure this objective is achieved the system is tested in several conditions and for different
technical or stress requirements.  Important requirements for AS2712:2002 include:
− Appendix D (Test for water ingress and retention in collectors), where the system is
tested to ensure it does not fail if water in the collector reaches very high
temperatures in hot sunny days where no energy is extracted; and
Appendix C (Hail resistance test) that tests a solar water heater system to ensure it does not
fail in the event of a hailstorm.
8. Relevant documents:   Clause 3 of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001.
Australian Standard 2712-2002, as in force on 27 August 2002
9. Proposed date of adoption:  December 2000
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 April 2003          
10. Final date for comments:   n/a
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
GPO Box 621
CANBERRA  ACT  2601
Email Address: orer@orer.gov.au