The Commonwealth Government’s Energy Efficient Communities Program will deliver $50 million of grants to assist businesses and community organisations to improve energy efficiency practices and technologies and better manage energy consumption to reduce their power bills. $10 Million of this funding will be allocated to dairy farms.
The program will open early in 2020:
For small businesses turning over less than $10 Million per year:
- Grants of up to $20,000 with no co-payment required.
For large businesses turning over more than $10 Million per year:
- Grants of up to $25,000 on a matched funding basis.
What will be covered:
- Equipment upgrades that reduce energy consumption, excluding energy generation equipment such as solar photovoltaic panels;
- Investment in energy and emissions monitoring and management systems to better manage energy use; and
- Completion of energy systems assessments according to Australian Standard AS/NZS 3598 2014 or feasibility studies to investigate energy efficiency opportunities.
Grants will be made available to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis. Eligibility criteria will be refined before the program is opened. It is unlikely that projects that have already commenced will be approved for funding.
To be notified when applications open, please send an email to the Commonwealth Government at EECProgram@environment.gov.au.
More Details are available here: https://www.energy.gov.au/government-priorities/energy-programs/energy-efficient-communities-program.
Read the fact sheet for the Program here: https://www.energy.gov.au/sites/default/files/eec_-_factsheet_businesses_stream_word_published_20190704.docx.