Yarra Valley wineries are among Victorian businesses who have been inundated with free fridge deliveries.
Coldstream’s Punt Road winery has reported up to 15 being dropped on their doorstep last Tuesday 21 June, while Payten and Jones Winery in Healesville has reported a delivery of 11 fridges – both businesses have told the media they were only after one.
The bungled drop offs have come from the State Government Energy Efficiency Program which allows energy retailers to offset emissions by getting businesses to install energy efficient appliances in return for carbon credits.
It’s believed the value attached to the carbon credits is seeing not one, but many fridges shipped off to businesses to get the benefit.
Essential Services Commission has responded to the claims and said they are aware of the fridges being ‘dumped’ or provided to customers who don’t want them.
“As the administrator and regulator of the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, we considers this behaviour to be completely unacceptable,” they wrote.
“Businesses accredited under the program are on notice that we won’t tolerate this behaviour.”
The ESS said it won’t be progressing registration of Victorian energy efficiency certificates while it investigates the reports.
“The commission will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action against accredited persons where we find breaches of the program rules. This could include suspension from the program and the surrender of Victorian energy efficiency certificates.
“The dumping of these appliances on public thoroughfares must stop and we will alert the relevant authorities.”
The public, businesses, or program participants are encouraged to contact the Essential Services Commission with any information regarding the dumping of fridges cabinets on (03) 9032 1310 or veu@esc.vic.gov.au
