The announcement came after AGL yesterday reported it has signed up with the Chicago Climate Exchange.

Until now, there has been no formal marketplace in Australia to match demand and supply for such offsets that reduce or avoid emissions.

Origin said its scheme would recognise a range of carbon reduction activities, such as energy efficiency projects, renewable energy or low-emissions generation, carbon sequestration and industrial abatement like fuel substitution.

“It draws on and extends existing mandatory and voluntary frameworks to ensure that participants can use one framework and apply it to national and international operations,” Origin managing director Grant King said.

“Importantly, the scheme is cost-effective, transparent and externally verified.”

According to a news report from the Age, Origin spent eight months developing computer systems to facilitate the carbon trading scheme. It also reportedly worked with the Australian Conservation Foundation and the St James Ethics Centre to ensure the carbon credits to be sold would be verifiable.

The newspaper also reported that voluntary carbon offsets are now trading in Australia in the range of $8-9 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.

With Origin to serve as broker, businesses that have already signed up with the scheme include NAB, Insurance Group Australia, Intrepid Travel, Transurban and STA Travel.

Meanwhile, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy will today call on state and federal governments to introduce a national emissions trading scheme at a clean energy conference today.

Prime Minister John Howard previously announced a taskforce comprising both the Federal Government and selected companies would advise on how Australia might fit into a global emissions trading scheme, and what form it would take.

The taskforce is expected to publish many of the submissions on its website this week, before releasing its final report on May 31.