Government Grants: September 2024

Supporting the commercialisation of Australian solar photovoltaic (PV) innovations, to enhance solar PV supply chains in Australia.

Stream 1A: Solar PV Manufacturing Innovation

• Round allocation: $500m
• Funding: Capital grant requests up to $50m
• Timing: EOI applications close 10 December 2024
• Application process: Two stage, EOI followed by detailed application by invitation
• Manufacturing focus: Modules and inputs to modules such as solar glass and frames, and deployment systems such as innovative solar racking.     

Stream 1B: Delivering community benefits

• Round allocation: $50m
• Funding: Ideally between $1-5m grant request, likely up to 50 per cent of project costs (i.e. 50 per cent applicant co-funding required)
• Timing: Applications close 12 November 2024
• Application process: Full application (single stage)
• Manufacturing focus: Solar PV manufacturing studies: feasibility studies and FEED

More information: https://arena.gov.au/funding/solar-sunshot/

Supporting small-to-medium (SME) sized businesses (turnover under $20m) to develop or scale up innovative products, processes or services in 7 priority areas. 

• Funding: If invited, grant funding offers: 
  • $50,000 - $250,000 to support early-stage commercialisation projects.
  • $100,000 - $5m for commercialisation and growth projects.
• Timing: Open continuously
• Application process: Multi-stage. Application for Advisory Services, and if invited, application for grant funding. 
• Manufacturing focus: across the 7 National Reconstruction Fund priority industries

More information: https://www.grantthornton.com.au/insights/client-alerts/industry-growth-program-grants/ 

Competitive government grant program supporting Australian-Singapore collaborations on green energy projects. 

• Aim: The GGCIP incentivise and facilitates co-innovation between small and medium-sized enterprises across the two countries. The GGCIP will help to establish or expand business and commercial activities that boost two-way trade in goods and services across green sectors. Grants can be used to fund the development and commercialisation of products, services or solutions that drive the decarbonisation of economic activities or help Singapore and Australia transition to net zero emissions. 
• Funding: Grant requests between $150,000-$500,000 for up to 50 per cent of project costs.
• Timing: Round 2 applications open now, closes 14 November 2024
• Project focus: Grants will support projects that focus on priority green economy sectors including:
  • renewable and clean energy
  • waste management and circular economy
  • sustainable agribusiness and food
  • green transportation and logistics
  • built environment and infrastructure
  • energy efficient technologies and products
  • advanced manufacturing and sustainable materials
  • environmental monitoring, analysis, and assessment.

More information: https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/singapore/singapore-australia-green-economy-agreement/go-green-co-innovation-program-ggcip 

Supporting Queensland’s small-to-medium (SME) sized manufacturers to increase international competitiveness, productivity, and innovation via the adoption of new technologies and processes.

• Who’s it for? SME manufacturers with upcoming capital investment in new equipment and processes.
• Funding: Grants between $50,000 to $2.5m (matched funding).
• Timing: Round 7 applications open 24 September 2024 and close on 24 January 2025.
• Application process: Two stage, EOI followed by Detailed Application by invitation
• Eligible applicants:
  • Queensland-based business whose principal activity is manufacturing
  • Hold an active Australian business number and be registered for GST
  • Be a small to medium enterprise with 5-200 FTE employees with a minimum of 5 FTE in Queensland)
  • Be able to pay for 50 per cent of project costs
  • Accept that the Department may require security over any or all of the funded items. Must own any proposed equipment. 
  • Previous recipients can apply (total funding under all MIQ applications is up to $2.5m)
• Eligible projects:
• • Involve the introduction of equipment, a process, or technology not currently used by the applicant that is industry-leading (best practice) such as: 
    • Implementing advanced robotics/advanced industry 4.0 and/or 5.0 equipment
    • Implementing a sector-relevant system or process
    • The development of a plan or strategy
  • Be designed to achieve significant business transformation, embracing Industry 4.0 and/or 5.0 (digitisation, interconnected factory, big data analytics, etc.)
  • Have a project site address in Queensland

More Information: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/manufacturing-retail/manufacturing/grant-programs/made-in-queensland 

Supporting SME manufacturers in five priority locations to be more productive, build advanced manufacturing capabilities and create jobs of the future.

• Who’s it for? SME manufacturers in Cairns, Central Queensland, Gold Coast, Mackay and Townsville SA4 regions, that have upcoming investment in new technology, skills and training, business development, or wish to access advanced robotic manufacturing hub services.
  Funding: Grants between $10,000 and $500,000 (matched funding)
• Timing: Open now, closes 30 June 2025

• Total funding pool: $15m
• Funding per battery: $400,000 (co-contribution required, differs depending on stream)
• Timing: Round 2 applications open now, close 29 October 2024

Stream 1: Delivering network & community benefits

Projects must implement at least one neighbourhood battery, prove quantified benefits for both the electricity network and local community, and provide at least a 30 per cent cash contribution.

Funding (of up to $400,000 per battery) will be provided for projects that:

• put in place one or more neighbourhood batteries (including installation and commissioning)
• prove quantified benefits for both the electricity network and local community
• include at least a 30 per cent cash co-contribution of the requested grant amount
• each battery must be a chemical battery of a minimum size 20kW/40kWh and maximum 5MW/20MWh
• will complete the project delivery by 31 August 2026.

Stream 2: Delivering community benefits

Projects must implement at least one neighbourhood battery, prove quantified benefits for the local community, and provide at least a 10 per cent cash contribution

Funding (of up to $400,000 per battery) will be provided for projects that:

• put in place one or more neighbourhood batteries (including installation and commissioning)
• prove quantified benefits for the local community
• include at least a 10 per cent cash co-contribution of the requested grant amount
• each battery must be a chemical battery of a minimum size 20kW/40kWh and maximum 5MW/20MWh
• will complete project delivery by 31 August 2026.

Stream 3: Delivering energy resilience

Projects must implement at least one energy back-up system that will be capable of continuing to supply power to a publicly accessible building during grid outages, prove quantified benefits for the local community, and provide at least 5 per cent cash contribution.

Funding (of up to $400,000 per back-up system) will be provided for projects that:

• implement one or more energy back-up system/s that will be capable of continuing to supply power to one or more publicly accessible building/s during grid outages. Each energy back-up system must include a neighbourhood battery and may also include installation of any or all of the following: solar photovoltaics (PV), generator and management systems.
• prove quantified benefits for the local community
• include a cash co-contribution of at least 5 per cent of the requested grant amount
• each battery must be a chemical battery of a minimum size 20kW/40kWh and maximum 5MW/20MWh
• will complete project delivery by 31 August 2026.

Eligibility 

The following organisations can apply for funding:

• public entities
• private sector businesses and agencies
• educational institutions
• local government authorities
• co-operatives
• not for profit organisations.
• Important: to be eligible for funding applicants must be:
  • an incorporated body, co-operative or association (including business associations), and
  • financially solvent.

Applicants must have

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST.
• be able to show at least 3 years’ operating history. 
• be able to provide 3 years of financial reports.

Note that each funding stream has additional priorities, including the target communities, the novelty of the battery operations and/or commercial model proposed, and the battery location within one of 29 Victorian Government prioritised LGAs.

More information: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/grants/neighbourhood-batteries/100-neighbourhood-batteries-program-grants