Two companies will receive grants for projects that will help the ACT transition to net zero emissions by 2045, as part of the ACT Government’s $17 million Energy Innovation Fund.

New Frontier Technologies received a $750,143 Technology Demonstration Grant for a project to develop an innovative storage solution for hydrogen. The company, which describes itself as “the leader in digital manufacturing and analysis of high‑performance carbon composites”, is based in the Momentum Industry Hub, a start-up incubator at the Australian National University.

“We are delighted that the support from the ACT Government’s Energy Innovation Fund program will enable New Frontier Technologies to demonstrate ACT-developed capability for innovative design and automated manufacturing of high-value carbon composite structures,” director and CEO Dr Paul Compston said.

“We will develop lightweight, type V (liner-less) all-composite pressure vessels that will increase capacity for hydrogen storage and form a critical part of the infrastructure required to achieve local net-zero targets. This innovative pressure vessel design and scalable manufacturing approach will be the first-of-its-kind, making it highly marketable to the national and international hydrogen economy.”

RenewMap received a $300,000 Innovation Ecosystem Grant to develop their web-mapping platform, described as “Australia’s most comprehensive renewable energy map”, connecting Australian and New Zealand energy projects.

“RenewMap currently provides stakeholders in the energy industry with highly accessible, accurate and near real-time information on large-scale energy projects across Australia and New Zealand,” co-founder and director Alex Thompson said. “Our aim for RenewMap is to create an up-to-date, national view of the energy landscape and contribute to a faster and more efficient renewable energy transition.

“The Energy Innovation Fund will accelerate the growth of our business and enable us to create new jobs in the ACT’s thriving renewable energy sector. The funded project will build on the success of RenewMap to date, empowering industry stakeholders with new analytical tools and valuable insights into the future pipeline of energy projects.”

“Congratulations to today’s recipients,” Shane Rattenbury, Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, said. “I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition and contribute to our shared goal of addressing the climate crisis and transitioning to a net zero emissions energy future.”

The $17 million total funding pool will be allocated over five years. The Fund has three grant streams: the Technology Demonstration Grant, the Policy Challenge Grant, and the Innovation Ecosystem Grant.

The funding comes from the ACT Government’s Renewables Reverse Auctions.

“The ACT has a world-renowned renewable energy sector and for more than a decade has been a leader in transitioning to 100% renewable electricity,” Mr Rattenbury said. “These recipients showcase the continued innovation taking place right here in the nation’s capital.”

The Energy Innovation Fund grants are open all year round. More information, including eligibility details and information on how to apply, can be found on the Everyday Climate Choices website.