The following principles (the
"innovative trial principles" ) must be taken into account in determining
whether a trial project is genuinely innovative in connection with granting a
trial waiver or making a trial Rule relating to a trial project:
(a) whether the trial project is focused on developing new or materially improved covered gas services;
(b) whether the trial project is likely to contribute to the achievement of the national gas objective;
(c) whether the trial project is able to demonstrate a reasonable prospect of giving rise to materially improved services and outcomes for consumers of covered gas;
(d) whether the trial project maintains adequate consumer protections, including whether the trial project may involve risks to consumers and (if so), how those risks might be mitigated;
(e) whether the trial project is unable to proceed under the existing regulatory framework;
(f) whether the trial project has moved beyond research and development stages but is not yet established, or of sufficient maturity, size or otherwise commercially ready, to attract investment;
(g) whether the trial project may negatively impact AEMO’s operation of systems relating to covered gas (including AEMO’s performance of its declared system functions), and markets and auctions for covered gas and, if there are impacts, how those impacts can be mitigated;
(h) whether the trial project may impact on competition in a competitive sector of a market for covered gas;
(ha) whether the licences, authorisations and consents required for the trial project under jurisdictional gas legislation have been obtained or will be obtained;
(i) any other principle prescribed by the Regulations.