Grants and incentives – what's new and what's closing soon?
Energy briefing update – June 2022
The end of the 2021-2022 financial year has seen a number of energy-focussed subsidies and grants relevant for businesses, including rebates for investing in water and energy efficiency upgrades (ACT), switching to solar (VIC), and building efficiency ratings (NSW).
Electric vehicle incentives are still available across the country: for individual vehicle purchases from governments in NSW, SA and VIC, and for upgrading light and heavy vehicle fleets nationally from the Federal Government.
Browse these and other support available to business from government below:
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national
one year left – ATO’s temporary full expensing tax incentive
The temporary full expensing tax depreciation incentive provides businesses with an unprecedented opportunity to immediately deduct the full cost of eligible assets and to make improvements to existing depreciating assets.
Businesses can leverage these tax incentives to make strategic investments that drive major productivity improvements in their operations, the kind of changes that may not have been feasible without the savings from these measures.
Learn more here.
ends december – ARENA’S Future Fuels Program
The Australian Government’s Future Fuels initiative, recently expanded with a further $177.7 million, has reopened with a dedicated program to shift fleet operators to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs). The focus of the grant is to support the integration of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into light and heavy vehicle fleets, and commercialising hydrogen as a transport fuel.
Learn more here.
ends september – Business Energy Advice Program (BEAP)
BEAP is a free energy advisory program for small businesses – 6-20 employees, or 0-20 employees for businesses that have been adversely affected by drought – across Australia.
The program delivers face-to-face and phone consultations, helping businesses to discover industry-specific energy saving opportunities. BEAP has delivered 15,000 consultations to businesses across Australia since 2019. The program ends 30 September 2022, so book in a consultation today before it's too late.
Find out more here.
ACT
Ongoing – Next Generation Energy Storage
The ACT Government's Next Generation Energy Storage program provides rebates for battery storage systems in ACT businesses and homes. To be eligible for funding, your business will need to be connected to the electricity grid, be coupled with solar panels, and include a new or existing inverter that meets the requirements.
Find out more here.
double the rebate until 30 june – Business Energy and Water Program
The ACT Government's Business Energy and Water Program provides ACT small businesses – meaning those with up to 20 employees – with rebates of up to $10,000 to help them with the costs of upgrading to more energy-efficient and water-efficient technologies and equipment.
The rebate of $10,000 is only until 30 June 2022. After that time, it will revert to a cap of $5,000.
Find out more here.
Ongoing - Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme
The ACT Government introduced the Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme to place a requirement on electricity retailers to achieve energy savings in households and small-to-medium businesses. Since its introduction, the scheme has delivered over 1.3 million energy saving products to around 74,000 ACT households and businesses.
Learn more here.
New South Wales
ongoing – Energy Savings Scheme (ESS)
The ESS provides financial incentives for households and businesses to become energy efficient by cutting electricity and gas use.
Most businesses are eligible for the program and can upgrade lighting, heating and cooling systems, refrigeration systems and other equipment upgrades.
Learn more here.
ongoing – Sustainable Water Partner Program
Businesses can use a significant amount of energy for heating water. Companies in Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley local government areas are eligible for a rebate to improve their water efficiency, which will in turn help reduce energy consumption.
Up to $25,000 in rebates are available for projects that save money by reducing water, waste and sewage.
Learn more here.
ongoing – INCENTIVES FOR SWITCHING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Rebates of $3,000 are available from the NSW Government for the first 25,000 new batteries for electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles purchased for less than $68,750, inclusive of GST. This applies only to cars registered any time after 1 September 2021.
Businesses will also benefit from stamp duty removal and savings in running costs of up to $7,500 a year by switching to an EV.
You can apply here.
CLOSING SOON – NABERS ENERGY STARTERS
The NABERS Energy Starters program from the NSW Government provides a financial contribution of up to $3,000 in administration and Assessor fees to support businesses to receive their first-ever NABERS Energy rating, supporting them on their journey to improve energy performance and sustainability.
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is a simple, reliable and comparable sustainability rating for the built environment. Like the efficiency star ratings that you get on your fridge or washing machine, NABERS provides a rating from one to six stars for building efficiency across energy, water, waste and indoor environment.
Applications close 30 June 2022.
Learn more here.
Northern Territory
Closing soon – HOME AND BUSINESS BATTERY SCHEME
Businesses in the NT can apply for a grant through the Home and Business Battery Scheme to buy and install batteries and inverters. Eligible businesses can access a grant of $450 per kilowatt hour of useable battery system capacity, up to a maximum grant of $6,000. Funding must be used to buy and install solar PV panels and batteries simultaneously. Grant applications close 5PM ACST 30 June 2022 so act now.
Learn more here.
ONGOING – SMARTER BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
The Smarter Business Solutions program can help businesses reduce their day to day operating costs by cutting energy use and installing on-site renewable energy systems.
Smarter Business Solutions assistance includes free advice and grant funding incentives for NT businesses to adopt efficient, innovative technologies and best practices that will reduce their energy, water, waste and material costs.
Learn more here.
South Australia
ongoing – INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
The South Australian government has introduced an electric vehicle subsidy package, including $3,000 subsidies and a three-year registration exemption for purchasing eligible new battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
As of 24 May 2022, 6,782 electric vehicle subsidies were remaining.
Learn more here.
Ongoing - The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS)
The REPS is a South Australian Government energy productivity scheme that provides incentives for South Australian households and businesses to save energy. The objective of the REPS is to ‘improve energy productivity for households, businesses and the broader energy system, with a focus on low-income households.
Learn more here.
Victoria
ongoing – Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program
The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program provides businesses with access to discounts on a wide range of energy-efficient products. This helps cut power bills and reduce emissions.
Most businesses are eligible for the program and can upgrade lighting, heating and cooling systems, refrigeration systems, and other equipment. The average business currently saves $3,700 per year by participating in the VEU program.
Learn more here.
NEW – On-Farm Action Plan Pilot
Victorian farms can apply to be one of 250 participants in the On-Farm Action Plan Pilot to receive free support to understand their on-farm emissions profile, develop an emissions reduction Action Plan, and apply for a grant to implement the Action Plan. Grants of up to $16,000 will be available to implement emissions reduction projects, including energy efficiency and energy saving upgrades.
Learn more here.
EXTENDED – SOLAR FOR BUSINESS
Start the transition to renewables today by taking advantage of rebates for rooftop solar for small businesses through Solar Victoria. Currently available to building owners, with plans to expand to renters, rebates are available for up to 50 per cent of the net cost of a rooftop solar system, to a maximum value of $3,500.
There are now only 3088 rebates available as of June 14 2022, with more expected at a reduced amount once the original rebates have all been exhausted.
Learn more here.
EXTENDED – ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLES (ZEV)
Rebates of $3,000 are still available through the Victorian Government for zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) purchased for less than $68,740. Rebates can be applied twice per business.
The dealership will apply for the subsidy on the buyers’ behalf, and the discount will apply at the final payment. With 1056 available as of June 14 2022, act now before they run out.
Learn more here.
CLOSING SOON – EV CHARGING FOR BUSINESS FLEETS
The EV Charging for Business Fleets Program (EVCBF) is providing grants to businesses to invest in electric vehicle charging equipment. There is no maximum or minimum grant amount per project. Applications must be submitted by 5pm EST, Friday 22 July 2022.
Learn more here.
closing soon – SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM
Small businesses wishing to improve the energy efficiency of their equipment can now apply for bonuses of up to $2,000.
Discounts can be applied to equipment such as heat pumps, water heaters, refrigerators, and upright freezers, helping small businesses save on energy bills and reduce emissions.
Applications close 30 June 2022, so get in before the end of the financial year.
Learn more here.
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About Navigating a dynamic energy landscape
There is an enormous amount of information on energy in the public domain, yet it can be hard for business leaders to extract what matters for their businesses.
Navigating a dynamic energy landscape: a briefing for Australian businesses is an executive-level briefing designed to cut through the noise and help businesses confidently navigate Australia’s dynamic energy landscape.
The sector spotlights and other resources that accompany the briefing exist to support this aim.
This initiative is delivered by the Energy Efficiency Council with the support of industry and the NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change.