Community Energy Upgrades Fund Program in Australia (Round 2)

The program will also support the Commonwealth led National Energy Performance Strategy (NEPS).

Objectives

• The objectives of the program are to support:
  • the Government’s broader efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy performance, and contribute to Australia meeting its emission reduction targets of 43 percent by 2030, Net-Zero emissions by 2050, and 82% renewable electricity generation by 2030
  • local governments to decarbonise their operations and reduce energy bills through energy efficiency and load flexibility upgrades, and electrification of their existing facilities
  • the improvement in energy performance necessary to more easily utilise renewable electricity and improve system reliability.

Funding Information

• The Australian Government has announced a total of $100 million over 2 funding rounds from 2024-25 to 2027-28. For Community Energy Upgrades Fund Round 2, up to $50m is available.
  • The minimum grant amount is $25,000.
  • The maximum grant amount is $2,500,000.

Duration

• You must complete your project by 31 March 2028.
• The maximum project length is 24 months.

Outcomes

• The intended outcomes of the program are:
  • reduced energy bills and emissions from local government-owned and/or operated facilities
  • installed energy efficiency, load flexibility and electrification technology that is commercially available
  • improved capability of local governments and the wider community to implement energy upgrades and electrification projects in their existing facilities
  • increased capacity of domestic supply chains and labour force to support significant future investment in energy efficiency upgrades
  • improved workforce skills in delivering and operating energy transition projects.

Eligibility Criteria

• You can apply if you:
  • have an Australian business number (ABN)
• And are one of the following entities:
  • a local government body
  • a joint local government body

Ineligibility Criteria

• You can’t apply if you:
  • an organisation included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
  • an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
  • were a successful applicant in Community Energy Upgrades Fund Round 1 – this includes joint local government bodies funded in Community Energy Upgrades Fund Round 1
  • are a member of a separate joint local government body application in Round 2.

For more information, visit business.gov.au.