Grants can help to reduce the payback period of projects, offset the financial risk of investing in innovative technologies or support piloting or trials prior to integration into business operations.
A range of Commonwealth and State/Territory government grant programs are available to support the investigation and implementation of energy efficiency projects.
Eligibility requirements can differ significantly across programs and jurisdictions however, so reviewing funding guidelines is an important first step.
In this section
Current Grant opportunities
To see what grants are currently available, there is a comprehensive Grants and Assistance Finder available on the business.gov.au website (on the right-hand side navigation). For grants relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy select your state or territory then go to the ’Climate change or environment’ filter and the ‘energy efficiency’ sub-filter. Further information on government energy-efficiency programs can be found on this site on the ‘Programs’ pages.
Clean Energy Future Package – Grant Programs
As part of the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Package, a number of new grant programs have also been announced to support industry transition to a low carbon economy.
The $1.2 billion Clean Technology Program provides support to industry through three competitive grant programs, run through AusIndustry:
- Clean Technology Investment Program (CTIP) provides $800 million over seven years to support Australian manufacturers to invest in energy efficient capital equipment, and low emissions technologies, processes and products.The program is now open. A case study of a CTIP project, which includes a description of the applicant’s experience of the CTIP process, was prepared by the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air-conditioning and Heating (AIRAH).
- Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program offers up to $150 million over six years to the food processing industry and up to $50 million over six years to the forging and foundries industries, to invest in energy efficient capital equipment, and low emissions technologies, processes and products. The program is now open.
- Clean Technology Innovation Program provides $200 million over five years to support research, development and commercialisation of clean technology products, processes and services. It will fund the development of a range of clean technologies including low emissions and other energy efficient technologies and is open to all industry sectors. The program will offer grants of $50,000 to $5 million on a co-investment of $1 for each $1 of government funding and will open later in the year. It will be in addition to the broader R&D Tax Incentive.
The Government is running information sessions nationally. For more information please see the AusIndustry website.
Coal Mining Abatement Technology Support Package
The Coal Mining Abatament Technology Support Package will provide $70 million over six years for transitional assistance to help the coal industry implement carbon abatement technologies. Assistance will be provided as grants on a co-contribution basis.
It will include support for small and medium coal sector participants wishing to undertake feasibility studies and other work to reduce emissions from current and proposed mines.
For more information see the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism website.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency
The $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is an independent Commonwealth authority, supporting innovations that improve the competitiveness of renewable energy technologies and increase the supply of renewable energy in Australia. ARENA invests in research, development, demonstration, deployment and commercialisation of renewable energy and related technologies; and the storage and sharing of knowledge and information about renewable energy technologies.
For further information about ARENA and new initiatives, visit www.arena.gov.au
Energy Efficiency Information Grants
The Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program assists industry associations and non profits to provide practical, tailored energy efficiency information to small and medium enterprises and community organisations. Applications for the first round of grant funding have been announced. The second round of successful applications will be announced in May 2013. Grants range from $100,000 to $1 million.
For more information, see the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website.