Membership terms and conditions

All parties interested in becoming a member of the Clean Energy Council (CEC) must submit an application for membership. Membership applications must be approved by the Clean Energy Council Chief Executive and may be deferred to the Clean Energy Council Board of Directors where deemed necessary by the Chief Executive.

The Clean Energy Council requires members to comply with the Clean Energy Council Member Code of Conduct.

The Clean Energy Council may require an applicant to provide further information before making a determination on membership.

The Clean Energy Council may approve an applicant at a higher membership class than applied, where deemed appropriate.

If an application is rejected (outright or at a particular membership class), written reasons will be provided.

An applicant can submit a brief written case for their application to be reconsidered in the event that it is refused.

Membership eligibility

Membership with the Clean Energy Council is open to organisations active in the renewable energy, energy storage and energy efficiency industries.

The Board has an absolute discretion to determine whether an applicant fits within a Membership Class and currently exercises its discretion as follows:

• Organisations will be accepted at the Corporate level or higher where their Australian turnover derived from clean energy-related activities exceeds $30M or global turnover derived from clean energy-related activities exceeds $1B.

• Organisations will be accepted at the Associate level if their Australian turnover derived from clean energy-related activities is less than $30M or global turnover from clean energy-related activities is less than $1B.

• Only organisations primarily involved in the installation of renewable energy systems with no more than three (3) full-time employees and a turnover of less than $3m derived from those activities qualify for Network membership. The application must include an accreditation number of a Clean Energy Council accredited installer of renewable energy systems who is employed or contracted by the applicant.
• Only organisations developing pre-commercialised, large-scale renewable energy technologies limited to geothermal, solar thermal and marine as their primary business, qualify for Emerging Technologies membership. Applicants must have a market capitalisation below $25m and gross income below $200k p.a. (excluding government grants and accumulated bank interest).
• Exceptions to these rules exist where the Clean Energy Council requires a company to join at a higher level of membership to ensure the appropriate level of engagement with the Clean Energy Council and the company's industry peers.

Members shall be entitled to receive all benefits of membership relevant to their Membership Class as provided in the CEC Constitution and as otherwise determined by the Board or Chief Executive from time to time.

Membership class upgrades and downgrades

Members are requested to inform the Clean Energy Council of changes to turnover derived from clean energy-related activities.

The Clean Energy Council may request membership upgrades to reflect growth or an increase in clean energy-related activities of a member organisation since commencing membership to ensure equitable access to membership benefits.

Members may request a membership upgrade or downgrade to reflect changes in organisational activities/turnover.

Membership fees

Membership fees for each membership class shall be determined by the Board from time to time.

Standard membership class fees:

• Sponsoring $55,500 (plus GST)
• Corporate $14,500 (plus GST)
• Associate $3650 (plus GST)

Special membership class fees:

• Emerging Technologies $630 (plus GST)
• Network $630 (plus GST)

Payment of membership fees - new members

An applicant for membership is taken to be admitted as a member upon the Board or Chief Executive (as delegated by the Board) approving the application and the applicant being entered onto the register of members. In exercising its discretion to approve members, the Board does not approve the application until membership fees are received.

Each prospective member is obliged to pay the stated membership fee for their membership class for a 12-month membership period, unless exempted by the Chief Executive.

Membership fees shall be paid in full by no later than 30 days from the date of the membership fee invoice.

If membership fees are not paid in full within 60 days or the agreed period from the date of membership fee invoice, a new application for membership must be submitted for review unless exempted by the Chief Executive.

Payment of membership fees – existing members

Membership renewal fees will be invoiced 30 days prior to the membership fee period end date. Membership benefits will automatically roll over into the following year and, should membership be subsequently cancelled without the renewal fees being paid, a pro rata fee will be incurred for services up to the date notice is received.

Once payment is overdue, all rights and privileges of membership (including Clean Energy Council member logo use) must cease as advised by the Clean Energy Council. Rights and privileges are to be reinstated upon payment of all arrears.

Member details

Member details will be recorded on an internal Clean Energy Council member register. This includes:

• the full names and addresses of members
• the date upon which the members became members
• the membership class applicable to that member
• the date upon which any member ceased to be a member.

Cessation of membership

Membership ceases if the member:

• dies (in the case of an individual member)
• resigns as a member by giving notice in writing (in which case they are not entitled to a refund or reimbursement of membership fees whether pro rata or otherwise)
• fails to pay membership fees within 90 days from the date of the membership fee invoice or as designated by the Chief Executive or Board
• the member is expelled (see 'Expulsion' below)
• in the case of a body corporate, an order is made to wind-up or dissolve the member or it is unable to pay its debts as and when they are payable
• the Board determines that the member ceases to satisfy the relevant qualification criteria specified for membership

Upon cessation or termination of membership, member details will be removed from the member register.

Expulsion

The Board cannot expel a member unless they:

• give the member at least 30 days' written notice of their intention
• allow the member to present reasons why the member should not be expelled by submitting written reasons up to 1000 words or by oral submissions to the directors, in the specified time frame
• have a two thirds majority in favour of the expulsion.

Members may be expelled if they:

• breach any provision of the Constitution
• engage in any conduct which, in the reasonable opinion of directors is unbecoming of a member or prejudicial or adverse to the interests of CEC. The directors view a breach of the CEC Member Code of Conduct as being such conduct.

Current members should refer to the Clean Energy Council Constitution for full details on the rights and obligations of membership.