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Frequently Asked Questions

About the scheme

Why has the Certified Wind Farms Australia (CWFA) Scheme been developed?
What is the scope of the CWFA Scheme?
How many types of accreditation are available?
How does the Scheme deal with changes in best practice / legislation etc?
Who is eligible for participation in the scheme?

Participation

Is participation in the Scheme mandatory for Clean Energy Council members?
What does it cost to participate?
What resources do participating members have access to?

Audit and Certification

What if an existing ISO14001 certified EMS is in place?
What is the process for achieving certification?
How are Auditors selected?
When do the audits take place?
Will business information gained by auditors be confidential?

About the scheme

Why has the Certified Wind Farms Australia (CWFA) Scheme been developed?

The CWFA Scheme was developed in response to challenges faced by the Australian wind energy industry in the areas of environmental planning and development approvals, legal compliance, environmental management, and social and amenity concerns.

The Scheme provides a mechanism for participants to independently demonstrate, by external auditors, that they are following best practice including the Clean Energy Council Best Practice Guidelines.

What is the scope of the CWFA Scheme?

Its scope includes both site planning (from site selection to development application), and site operations (construction, operations and decommissioning). The accreditation scheme covers best practice in environmental, social and amenity issues for the planning and operation phases of a wind farm development.

The scheme excludes technical and commercial considerations (including wind speed, infrastructure, electrical connections and economic viability), except where there is an interface with environmental, amenity and stakeholder consultation aspects.

The Scheme is based on the principles of the widely accepted Internal Standard, ISO 14001:2004 - Environmental Management Systems.

How many types of Accreditation are available?

Accreditation to the scheme will be available for the following categories:
  • Planning
  • Operations
  • Planning and Operations

How does the Scheme deal with changes in best practice / legislation etc?

The Scheme includes a process of continual improvement from the auditing process which will result in an update process for the Clean Energy Council Best Practice Guidelines.

Improvements to other aspects of the Scheme will also be sought from the Certification Bodies and participants.

Components of the scheme (e.g. legal registers), will be revised and updated annually.

Who is eligible for participation in the scheme?

The Scheme is primarily designed for planners, developers and operators of wind farms, and their main contractors (e.g. planners, construction and maintenance), where their activities interface with the environmental, social, amenity and stakeholder consultation issues, as defined within the Clean Energy Council Best Practice Guidelines.

Clean Energy Council will review the eligibility of others in the industry and the means for their assessment prior to acceptance of their application (see application).

Participation

Is participation in the CWFA Scheme mandatory for Clean Energy Council members?

Participation in the scheme is not mandatory; however the Clean Energy Council encourages all of its members to participate in this industry initiative. Clean Energy Council members will receive a discount on application and ongoing discounts for participation (see application).

What does it cost to participate?

The fee structure for the scheme comprises a once off joining fee, and participation fee to be paid annually thereafter. The annual fee is a nominal fee to cover administration of the scheme including the maintenance of an environmental legal requirements register.

In addition Scheme participants will incur audit costs for certification and recertification of wind farms. This will be via a contractual arrangement between the participation member and the Certification body that they select. For more details on fees see application.

What resources do participating members have access to?

Members have access to environmental management procedures and tools designed to assist in managing the requirements of the Clean Energy Council Best Practice Guidelines. They include ISO14001 compliant environmental management system procedures, forms and registers, including
  • System procedures
  • Example legal registers
  • Example environmental aspects and impacts registers
  • Planning and development checklists for best practice
All scheme documentation is available to participating members via the secure website.

Audit and Certification

What if an existing ISO 14001 certified EMS is in place?

Recognition will be given to organisations which are already certified to ISO14001 in relation to components of the CWFA Scheme, provided that a current ISO14001 certificate is made available and that the certification body's most recent audit report is suitable.

What is the process for achieving certification?

Clean Energy Council, the Accreditation Body responsible for the CWFA Scheme, has appointed a panel of specialist Certification Bodies to carry out independent auditing of participating organisations. (see Certification Bodies)

The appointed independent Certification Body will recommend certification to Clean Energy Council.

Successful participants will be certified to the CWFA Scheme for the Planning or Operations Phases of a Wind Farm Development or for both.

For the Operations Phase, the certified organisation can elect to include all or some of its sites.

Participating members contract a Certification Body from the Panel approved by the Clean Energy Council who will provide a pool of pre-qualified auditors nationally.

How are Auditors selected?

Auditors will be available from Certification Bodies if they:
  • Are certified as Auditors/Lead Auditors in Environmental Management Systems/ISO 14001, and
  • Have relevant industry/environmental experience in legal and planning requirements, natural resource and ecosystem management and construction operations

When do the audits take place?

There is flexibility with the timing of the audits. This will be a matter for agreement between the participant and their Certification Body. The first assessment will determine whether the participant's management system documentation conforms with the requirements of the Scheme.

For planning phase certification it is recommended that participants are sufficiently through the planning/development process before an application is made. Checklists are available for scheme participants which outline the broad requirements which need to be demonstrated for both planning and operations.

Will business information gained by auditors be confidential?

The Certification Bodies will arrange confidentiality agreements with participants and will recommend certification or otherwise to the Clean Energy Council. All audit records will be maintained by the Certification Body with a recommendation regarding certification being provided to Clean Energy Council.

© 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Australian Wind Energy Association. All rights reserved. Auswind is an Australian Company limited by guarantee (ACN 091 108 155) and a "not for profit" organisation.

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