The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched a third round of its Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS) Program, with $180 million in funding available to support emissions reduction at regional industrial facilities across Australia.
ARENA is seeking projects from regional industrial businesses that will transform their operations to support Australia’s net zero goals.
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ARENA CEO Darren Miller said, “The ITS Program is aimed at businesses that are significant energy users in regional Australia that are looking for cleaner, more energy-efficient ways to operate.
“We know many businesses want to reduce emissions but aren’t sure where to start. This funding is designed to help them take that step.
“Whether you’re electrifying cold storage at a meat processing facility, implementing thermal energy storage technologies, or recovering biogas from dairy waste—if you are tackling emissions and energy use in an innovative and scalable way, we want to hear from you.”
To qualify for funding under ITS, businesses must:
• Be located in a regional area.
• Use a significant amount of energy and produce Scope 1 or Scope 2 emissions:
o Scope 1: Direct emissions from on-site fuel combustion.
o Scope 2: Indirect emissions from electricity purchased from the grid.
• Qualify for reporting under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Scheme.
• Have a project that can be scaled or replicated across the industry, offering broader benefits beyond one business.
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Interested businesses can visit the ITS funding webpage for program guidelines and further information on eligibility and submitting an application.
The $400 million Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS) is a 2023 budget measure under the $1.9 billion Powering the Regions Fund (PRF).
