Funding for high energy using businesses to improve efficiency, reduce costs and lower energy consumption

The Energy Efficient Communities Program – High Energy Using Business Grants provides businesses with grants of up to $25,000 to improve their energy efficiency. Grants may be used for equipment and component improvements, energy audits, feasibility studies and/or energy use and emission monitoring.

The objective of this grant opportunity is to support high energy using businesses to save energy through:

• replace existing equipment with higher efficiency equipment
• install or replace a component/s to help an existing system run more efficiently
• carry out energy audits
• carry out monitoring of energy usage and emissions

There is an estimated $14.8 million available for this grant opportunity. Funding will be distributed between states and territories with the percentage breakdown based on the distribution of high energy using businesses nationally.

• The maximum grant amount is $25,000.
• The maximum project period is 18 months.
• The grant percentage is 50%, you’re responsible for the remaining project expenditure.

You can use your grant for one or more of the following:

• replacing existing equipment with higher efficiency equipment
• installing or replacing a component to help an existing system run more efficiently
• energy audits
• investment feasibility studies for energy efficiency upgrades
• monitoring of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

Funding will be distributed between states and territories with the following percentage breakdown.

Jurisdiction	Budget limit	Percentage	Notional number of grants
NSW	$5,180,000	35%	207
VIC	$3,996,000	27%	160
QLD	$2,812,000	19%	113
WA	$1,480,000	10%	59
SA	$888,000	6%	35
TAS	$296,000	2%	12
NT	$148,000	1%	6
ACT	$0	0%	0

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible you must:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• have a net energy consumption of more than 0.05 PJ per year

and be one of the following entities:

• a company incorporated in Australia
• a co-operative
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust

We can only accept applications:

• where you can provide evidence that your project is supported at senior management level, and that you can complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding
• where you can provide evidence that you are a business with a net energy consumption of more than 0.05 PJ per year assessed across all the activities conducted by your business, and across all fuel types
• that include a supplier declaration (see template at Appendix C of the grant opportunity guidelines)
• that include all the mandatory attachments
• where you certify, if you have ceased operating as a result of bushfires or COVID-19, that you intend to resume operating as a business in the future

We can’t waive the eligibility criteria under any circumstances.

How do you apply?

The Energy Efficient Communities Program – High Energy Using Business Grants is currently closed to applications.