ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program supports a broad range of development, demonstration and pre-commercial deployment projects that can deliver affordable and reliable renewable energy for Australian families and businesses.

The renewable energy technologies may include hybrid technologies and technologies that are related to renewable energy technologies (including enabling technologies). The renewable energy methods can include desktop studies and analysis.

Funding is available to activities that contribute to one or more of the following outcomes:

• reduction in the cost of renewable energy
• increase in the value delivered by renewable energy
• improvement in technology readiness and commercial readiness of renewable energy
• reduction in or removal of barriers to renewable energy uptake
• increased skills, capacity and knowledge relevant to renewable energy

 

Deadline date:

OPEN

 

What grants or funding is available?

ARENA Grants awarded to Activities under the Program are expected to be between $100,000 and $50 million, with applicants typically expected to at least match the funding being sought from ARENA.

Funding provided through the Program will generally be in the form of Grants, although the type of grant may vary and may include recoupable Grants.

 

What are the eligibility criteria?

Eligibility criterion A — eligible Applicant

• The applicant must at the time of applying, hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and unless applying for funding for Desktop Studies and Analysis, be (or warrant that you will be at the time of entering into a funding agreement)
• Be an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or
• be a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a government business enterprise or
• be an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or
• a subsidiary of an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or
• be an Australian local government or council.

Eligibility criterion B — eligible Activity

Involves a Renewable Energy Technology and/or has the potential to contribute to the Program Outcomes and does not include research, or education and training of students.

Eligibility criterion C — must take place in Australia

Any ARENA-funded expenditure incurred by you outside of Australia, other than for equipment or materials, must be limited to no more than 10 per cent of total ARENA funds, except in exceptional circumstances that must be justified by you and agreed to in writing by ARENA before submission of a Proposal.

Eligibility criterion D — knowledge sharing

You must agree to enter into an agreement with ARENA to publicly share knowledge and information about, and resulting from, the Activity described in your Proposal.

Eligibility criterion E — intellectual property

You must warrant your ownership of and access to, or the beneficial use of, any intellectual property necessary to carry out the Activity.

Eligibility criterion F — comply with other requirements

• You must disclose any legal proceedings or investigation including litigation, arbitration, mediation or conciliation that to the best of your knowledge, after having made proper enquiry, are taking place, pending or threatened against you or a related body corporate as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
• You must not be named as an organisation that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Cth).
• You must not be named as an organisation on the list of persons and entities designated as terrorists.

 

What is the assessment criteria?

Once a Proposal has been assessed to have satisfied the eligibility criteria, it will be assessed for overall value for money against the merit criteria.

All of the merit criteria are equally weighted.

Merit criterion A — contributes to the Program Outcomes

How well the Activity contributes to the investment priorities in the Investment Plan and Program Outcomes, taking into account the investment priorities in the Investment Plan and any relevant Funding Announcements.

Merit criterion B — Applicant capability and capacity

Assesses the capability and capacity of the Applicant and Activity Partners to deliver the Activity.

Merit criterion C — Activity design, methodology, risk and compliance

How well designed and planned the Activity is and the risk in terms of the likely success of the Activity.

Merit criterion D — financial viability and co-funding commitment

Assesses your financial capacity to deliver the Activity and whether the amount of ARENA funding sought and the total cost of the Activity is appropriate.

Merit criterion E — knowledge sharing

Assesses the value of the knowledge generated by the Activity in contributing to the Program Outcomes and how well that knowledge is targeted to specific audiences, and how you will capture, store and disseminate the data, information and lessons learned from the Activity.

For more detailed information, see the Program Guidelines.

 

How do I apply?

The application and assessment process typically consist of two stages:

1. an Expression of Interest (EOI) stage and
2. a Full Application stage. Both stages involve an assessment against all eligibility and merit criteria.

You may submit an EOI at any time.1 However, you are strongly encouraged to contact ARENA to discuss your Proposal before submitting an EOI. The EOI stage is not required in any of the following circumstances:

• the Activity is the production of a study or report, including but not limited to feasibility studies, data collection and dissemination, collaboration activities and analysis of innovative business models,
• the amount of ARENA grant funding sought is less than $500,000 (GST exclusive) or
• ARENA has waived the requirement.

Want to get the best possible result?

Working with Treadstone means you get the maximum grant with minimum risk and effort. We provide expert advice and take care of your application, allowing you to continue to focus on your essential business operations.

Treadstone is an experienced, outcome focused team with a proven track record of success since 2008; recently securing three $1m+ grants for our clients.

To ensure you have the best chance of getting grant funding contact us or call 03 9008 5937.