Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grants for SMEs in Australia

The MEEG Program will support eligible Queensland-based manufacturing SMEs by reimbursing up to 100 per cent of Eligible Project costs for lighting projects and/or up to 75 per cent of Eligible Project costs for other eligible projects undertaken by a SME manufacturer. Grants will be:

• available for projects that align with the sustainability goals of the applicant and the MEEG Program Objectives
• available for projects that support manufacturers to implement energy efficiency measures to reduce energy costs and operational emissions through adoption of energy efficiency technologies, equipment, systems or processes
• awarded following a demand driven process. The process involves an applicant submitting a completed application form. If the submitted application demonstrates that the applicant and the project satisfactorily meet all eligibility and assessment criteria, grants will be awarded to those applicants with the earliest submission date of a complete and proper application, where funding remains available to be allocated.

Objectives 

• The objectives of the MEEG Program (Program Objectives) are to support the Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan and the department’s strategic direction by:
  • increasing the uptake of energy efficiency measures and technology by Queensland-based manufacturing SMEs
  • supporting Queensland-based manufacturing SMEs to reduce energy usage and costs
  • enabling carbon emissions reduction in support of the Queensland Government’s commitment to net-zero by 2050, as well as Queensland’s renewable energy and climate targets
  • increasing awareness of energy use by manufacturers.

Focus Areas

• Compressed Air Improvements
• Electrification (from gas or fuel-based process to electric)
• Heat pumps
• Industrial refrigeration
• Industrial HVAC system
• Lighting
• Energy Monitoring Systems and Energy Action Plans
• Replacement of equipment to a more energy efficient model OR replace parts of equipment (motors, fans, compressors, heaters, conveyors) to make the equipment more efficient

Funding Information

• Grants of between $7,500 to $50,000 (excluding GST).

Eligibility Criteria 

• To be eligible for the MEEG Program, an applicant must:
  • be a Queensland-based business whose principal activity and majority annual turnover is derived from manufacturing, as defined under Division C of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006
  • be registered for GST and hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • be an SME with between five and 200 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. A minimum of five FTE employees must be located in Queensland
  • have a minimum of 12 months access to the project site address in Queensland (either through ownership or an executed lease agreement or similar)
  • have the financial capacity and standing necessary to successfully undertake and complete the proposed Eligible Project, recognising that the grant payments are made in arrears
  • have operated within Queensland for a minimum of 12 months prior to submitting an application
  • not have, and must not be, an Associated Entity of an entity that has received funding under the MEEG Program that in aggregate exceeds $50,000 (excluding GST)
  • not have, and must not be, an Associated Entity of an entity that has been awarded MEEG Round 1 and has not completed the project
  • accept that the department may require security over any single Eligible Project item that exceeds $100,000 in value, for a period of seven years
  • not be insolvent or have owners or directors that are an undischarged bankrupt
  • not be a federal, state or local government entity, statutory authority or special purpose vehicle or not-for-profit organisation.

For more information, visit Australian Government.