ACT businesses, research institutions, and think-tanks can share in $17 million worth of grants over the next five years under the ACT Government’s 2024 Energy Innovation Fund (formerly known as the Renewable Energy Innovation Fund).

The Energy Innovation Fund aims to help Canberra transition to net zero emissions by 2045, and develop the ACT as an export-oriented hub for energy transition innovation and investment.

“This fund supports early stage and emerging projects to develop and commercialise innovative and efficient solutions to support the ACT and the community on its energy transition,” Shane Rattenbury, ACT Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, said.

The Fund contains three new grants:

• Technology Demonstration Grant: Up to $10 million in investment over five years for new and emerging technologies that support the energy transition. These grants are targeted to businesses, and are open year-round.
• Policy Challenge Grant: Up to $3.75 million available over five years for solutions to key policy challenges the ACT faces in the transition to renewable energy. These grants are open to businesses, research institutions, and think tanks. It will be announced once each year.
• Innovation Ecosystem Grant: Up to $3.25 million available over five years. This grant has two categories of support: innovation clusters and business accelerator. It aims to help businesses and non-profit organisations to provide networking opportunities, industry capacity building activities, and support for commercialisation solutions for energy innovation products and services. These grants are open to business and non-profit organisations. It is open all year round.

An information session will be held later this month for anyone interested in applying for a grant to ask questions. Details for this session, including how to register, are on the Everyday Climate Choices website.

Since 2016, the Fund has invested $12 million since 2016, and supported more than 20 ACT-based energy projects, “bolstering research and innovation in the Territory across a broad range of new and emerging technologies,” Mr Rattenbury said.

An additional $19 million was committed to the Fund after the fifth round of the ACT renewables auction.

“The ACT has developed a national and international reputation as an energy transition innovation hub, with world-leading capabilities,” Mr Rattenbury said. “This new funding ensures the Territory continues to [be] a place of opportunity for energy transition research, innovation, and investment.”

The REIF changed its name to the Energy Innovation Fund to “reflect the new focus on broad support for energy transition innovation in the ACT across all sectors,” Mr Rattenbury said. “This broader focus strengthens the Fund’s ability to attract an array of innovators and investors to the ACT to support our commitment to net-zero emissions by 2045.”