Glossary
Answers to the most common questions about the Fund, environmental investing, and how to get started.
Environmental
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Australia’s legislated target to reduce emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.
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Large scale battery infrastructure that stores electricity for later use.
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Carbon rich material produced from biomass that can store carbon and improve soil.
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Tradable instruments linked to improving, restoring or protecting biodiversity.
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Carbon captured and stored by coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses.
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Hydrogen produced using fossil fuels with carbon capture.
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Technology that captures emissions and stores them underground.
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Capturing emissions and using or storing them rather than releasing them.
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Emissions produced relative to energy, revenue, production or economic output.
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Actions taken to reduce the impact of climate change rather than prevent emissions.
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Actions taken to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
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Businesses, infrastructure or technologies helping reduce emissions or improve resilience.
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When renewable generation is reduced because the grid cannot absorb the electricity.
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Technology that removes carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
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Reducing carbon emissions across businesses, industries or economies.
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Reducing or shifting electricity use during peak demand periods.
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Small scale energy assets such as rooftop solar, batteries, EVs and smart devices.
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Replacing fossil fuel powered equipment with electric alternatives.
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Emissions created in producing, transporting and building a product or asset.
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Vehicle powered by electricity rather than petrol or diesel.
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Services used to stabilise electricity grid frequency.
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Ammonia produced using renewable energy and often considered an export and shipping fuel opportunity.
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Aluminium produced using lower emissions electricity, recycling or cleaner production processes.
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Hydrogen produced using renewable electricity.
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Iron produced using lower emissions processes, typically replacing coal with renewable electricity or green hydrogen.
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Steel produced with lower emissions methods, often using green hydrogen or electric furnaces.
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Industries that are difficult to decarbonise, such as steel, cement, aviation and shipping.
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Replacing gas and fossil fuel appliances with electric alternatives.
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Reducing emissions from industrial processes through electrification, efficiency and alternative fuels.
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Managing the move to a lower emissions economy while supporting affected workers and communities.
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Local electricity network that can operate independently or with the main grid.
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Projects using natural systems to deliver environmental outcomes.
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Removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than are emitted.
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Balancing emissions produced with emissions removed.
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Low emissions fuels including sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel and green hydrogen.
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Low emissions gas alternatives including biomethane and renewable hydrogen.
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Direct emissions from owned or controlled operations (for example diesel used in mining trucks, fuel burned on site or emissions from company owned boilers).
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Indirect emissions from purchased energy (for example electricity purchased from the grid to power offices, factories or data centres).
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Indirect emissions across a company’s wider value chain (for example supplier emissions, employee travel, product transport or customers using the product after sale).
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Digitally enabled grid infrastructure improving efficiency and renewable integration.
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Digital electricity meter that records real time energy usage and supports time of use pricing, rooftop solar, batteries and smarter electricity management.
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Lower emissions fuel designed as an alternative to conventional jet fuel.
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High voltage networks connecting generation to customers.
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Technology allowing EV batteries to supply electricity to commercial buildings.
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Technology allowing EVs to export electricity back to the grid.
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Technology allowing an EV battery to power a household.
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Coordinated network of solar, batteries and other distributed energy assets.
Regulatory
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AEMO’s long term roadmap for Australia’s electricity system.
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Wholesale electricity market covering eastern and southern Australia.
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Australian policy designed to increase renewable electricity generation.
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Designated regions for renewable generation, storage and transmission investment.
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Policy requiring a portion of electricity to come from renewable sources.
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Australian emissions policy requiring large emitters to reduce or offset emissions.
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Policy concept allowing households without suitable rooftops to access shared solar benefits. eg Free energy during the day.
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Australian scheme supporting rooftop solar, heat pumps and solar hot water.
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Certificate created under the SRES, commonly linked to rooftop solar rebates.
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Framework for climate related corporate financial disclosure.
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Framework for assessing and disclosing nature related financial risks.
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Global framework encouraging investors to incorporate ESG factors.
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Australia’s official carbon credit, representing one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent avoided or removed.
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The rule maker for Australia’s electricity and gas markets.
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Operates Australia’s electricity and gas systems and publishes major planning reports.
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Regulates electricity and gas markets, network pricing and consumer protections.
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Government agency supporting renewable energy and low emissions technologies.
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Government scheme supporting investment in renewable generation and storage.
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Government owned green bank investing in clean energy, emissions reduction and low carbon infrastructure.
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Regulator administering ACCUs, the Renewable Energy Target and emissions reporting schemes.
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Australian Government carbon neutral certification program.
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Energy market covering business and industrial electricity users.
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Federal department responsible for climate, energy, environment and water policy.
Investing
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Investing to generate measurable environmental or social outcomes alongside returns.
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Measure comparing the lifetime cost of electricity generation technologies.
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Measure comparing the lifetime cost of storing and releasing electricity.
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Storage capable of delivering electricity for extended periods.
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Certificate created by accredited large scale renewable electricity generation.
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Economic value of natural assets such as forests, water, soil and biodiversity.
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Global group of central banks and regulators focused on climate financial risk.
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Climate related risk from floods, fires, storms, heatwaves and environmental damage.
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Long term contract to buy electricity from a generator.
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Certificate proving electricity was generated from renewable sources.
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Global initiative where companies commit to 100% renewable electricity.
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Share of electricity supplied by renewable generation.
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Bond where borrowing costs are linked to sustainability targets.
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Risk caused by policy, technology and market shifts toward lower emissions.
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Financing cost measure used in infrastructure and energy project valuation.
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Income received by investors, appearing in the form of a percentage, who are in a particular company or project.
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Investment vehicle owning operating renewable or infrastructure assets with predictable cash flows.
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Tradable instruments linked to improving, restoring or protecting biodiversity.
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Activities that reduce, avoid or remove greenhouse gas emissions.
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A tradable certificate representing one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced, avoided or removed.
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An economic model focused on reuse, repair, recycling and reducing waste.
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Investment into assets or businesses reducing emissions or supporting decarbonisation.
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Financial risk arising from climate change and the transition to a lower emissions economy.
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Technology designed to reduce emissions or help economies adapt to climate change.
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Framework assessing environmental, social and governance risks and practices.
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Market mechanism where emissions permits are capped and traded.
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Cash left after operating and capital expenses, useful when assessing growth funding.
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Bond where proceeds fund environmentally beneficial projects.
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Extra cost of choosing a low emissions option over a conventional one.
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Misleading claims that exaggerate environmental credentials.
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Technology or infrastructure that supports reliability when renewable output varies.
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Large energy storage assets such as batteries or pumped hydro.
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Australasian investor network promoting climate aware investing and the transition to net zero.
Still need to speak to someone?
If you have questions that we have not answered, please call us on 1300 45 96 85 or email us at info@enviroinvest.com.au.
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