KEY POINTS
- The Australian Government has established Clean Business Australia – a partnership with Australian business and industry for tackling climate change.
- Clean Business Australia supports a range of activities aimed at improving our energy and water efficiency and increasing sustainability, with a focus on productivity and innovation.
- There are three program elements:
- Climate Ready which supports small and medium sized businesses to develop projects for innovations that address the effects of climate change
- Re-tooling for Climate Change which supports small and medium sized businesses undertaking manufacturing in Australia to reduce their environmental footprint by improving the energy and/or water efficiency of their production processes.
- Green Building Fund which supports owners of existing commercial office buildings to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by improving building energy efficiency. Assistance is also available for industry organisations, to improve the knowledge, skills and capability of those involved in the operation of commercial office buildings to reduce their carbon emissions.
- Climate Ready and Green Building Fund are closed to new applications.
- Policy announcements by both major political parties during the course of the recent election period, if implemented, would mean that the Re-tooling for Climate Change program would be closed to new applications.
- For further information about the Clean Business Australia programs, visit the AusIndustry website at www.ausindustry.gov.au.
- Alternatively, contact the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46 or by email at hotline@ausindustry.gov.au.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Climate Ready
Climate Ready is a competitive grants program which aims to support the development and commercialisation of innovative products, processes and services that address the effects of climate change. The program, which is closed to new applications, offered grants from $50,000 up to $5 million on a matching funding basis, for research and development, proof-of-concept and early-stage commercialisation activities. It targeted small and medium-sized businesses, and offered two types of grants - small ($50,000 to $500,000) and large ($500,001 to $5 million). The small grants support small business, as well as companies controlled by universities and public sector research organisations.
The program opened for applications on 28 July 2008 and supports projects that address the effects of climate change. More than 300 eligible applications, seeking more than $228 million, have been received in response to four funding rounds. A total of 105 projects worth $75.95 million in grant funding proceeded through the four funding rounds.
As the effects of climate change will be far-reaching a broad range of project applications for Climate Ready are supported. Funding has been provided for projects that include: wind turbine production; native tree plantations to reduce carbon pollution; water saving solutions; and technology for saving power in standby mode.
Re-tooling for Climate Change
The Re-tooling for Climate Change program aims to encourage small and medium sized manufacturers to reduce their environmental footprint, through projects that improve the energy and/or water efficiency of their production processes.
The program provides grants of $10,000 to $500,000 for up to 50 per cent of the cost of eligible projects. Applicants must have a turnover of less than $100 million in the year prior to application, be undertaking manufacturing activities in Australia, and have the ability to fund their share of the project not met by the grant.
Examples of eligible projects could include:
- Application of water capture, recycling and filtration
- Process re-engineering to reduce energy or water use
- Application of energy efficient technologies
- Energy generation from production waste.
Applications have been received across a wide range of manufacturing sectors, and to date, 84 offers of grant funding totalling $16.8 million (as at 31 August 2010, GST exclusive) have been made under the program. Projects have been funded across Australia, with a significant number in regional Australia.
Green Building Fund
The Green Building Fund aims to reduce the impact of the built environment on Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, by reducing the energy consumed in the operation of existing commercial office buildings.
Grants of $50,000 to $500,000 are available to owners of existing commercial office buildings, for up to 50 per cent of the total cost of retro-fitting and/or retro-commissioning projects, to reduce base building energy consumption and so greenhouse gas emissions.
Separately, a limited number of grants of up to $200,000 are available to help relevant industry organisations, for projects that improve the knowledge, skills or capability of those involved in the operation of commercial office buildings.
The program has attracted strong industry interest and demand, with applications received for office buildings located all over Australia. The first five rounds of the program resulted in 195 offers of grant funding to building owners, with a total value of over $71 million. Five industry organisations have received grants for capability development projects.
Funded projects have covered a range of retro-fitting and retro-commissioning activities, including, installation of new air conditioning plant, building management systems upgrades, lighting upgrades and installation of cogeneration and renewable energy technology. The total projected greenhouse gas savings from these projects is over 158,000 tonnes of CO2 (equivalent) per annum.