The Advancing Renewables Program (ARP) supports a range of development, demonstration and pre-commercial deployment projects. This includes opportunities to optimise the transition to renewable electricity, commercialise clean hydrogen and support the transition to low emissions metals. This is continuously open for applications that address our investment focus areas to:

1. Optimise the transition to renewable electricity
2. Commercialise clean hydrogen
3. Support the transition to low emissions metals

ARENA wishes to attract and fund projects that align with its Investment Plan and the priority low emissions technologies and emerging and enabling technologies outlined in the Low Emissions Technology Statement that support renewable energy and enabling technologies.

Deadline

Ongoing

Overview and Grant Amount

The Program Objective is to fund Activities that contribute to one or more of the following Program Outcomes:

1. reduction in the cost of renewable energy
2. increase in the value delivered by renewable energy
3. improvement in technology readiness and commercial readiness of Renewable Energy Technologies
4. reduction in or removal of barriers to renewable energy uptake
5. increased skills, capacity and knowledge relevant to Renewable Energy Technologies.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criterion A – Eligible Applicant

At the time of application, applicant must hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and unless applying for funding for Desktop Studies and Analysis, applicant must

• be (or warrant that you will be at the time of entering into a funding agreement) an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or
• be a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a government business enterprise by section 5(1) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 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 – 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.

Merit 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

Assesses how well the Activity contributes to the Program Outcomes, taking into account the investment focus areas 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

Assesses how well designed and planned the Activity is, including whether it has clearly defined objectives and methodology, as well as your approach to identifying, managing and reporting the personnel, delivery, technical and financial risks of the Activity. Also considered are any activity risk in terms of the likely success of the Activity, the achievement of intended outcomes.

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

Applicants are encouraged to read through all the criteria set by this grant, which may be found here.

Application Process and Assessment

The process for funding under the Program typically involves two stages:

• an initial Expression of Interest (EOI)
• a Full Application

You may submit an EOI at any time. 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

Full Applications must include specified information unless one or more requirements have been waived by ARENA. If you do not provide the specified information, in the format set out in ARENA’s online application system ARENANet or on the Program’s webpage, ARENA may seek supplementary information or clarification from you or decline to assess the Full Application.

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