The Federal Government has opened the Emerging Rewnables program for promising renewable energy technology projects.

 

The Emerging Renewables program aims to reduce the cost of new technologies, improve skills across the renewable energy industry and leverage finance from the private sector as well as state and territory governments.

 

“With this program the Government is taking on an innovative design for merit-based grant programs following the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy’s (ACRE) extensive consultation with the renewable energy industry and financiers,” the Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson said.

 

“On this basis we have also increased funding by $26 million for the Emerging Renewables program with funds returned from the Geothermal Drilling Program.

 

“This takes the total program funding to $126 million. Geothermal companies will benefit from the new program design with at least one-third of the total program funding expected to be available to support geothermal energy.”

 

The program design is based on the independent ACRE Board’s Strategic Directions and provides a streamlined applications process as well as the opportunity for greater collaboration amongst applicants. It employs a continuously open application model allowing companies to submit applications as and when they need to with no arbitrary cut off dates or set funding rounds.

 

ACRE will administer the program until the $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is established.

 

The Emerging Renewables program will fund promising renewable energy and enabling technologies under two categories: ACRE Projects and ACRE Measures.  More information on these categories and a copy of the Emerging Renewables Program Information Guide for Applicants is available at www.acre.gov.au