The Energy Efficiency Information Grants will provide up to $40 million to industry associations and non-profit organisations that work with small and medium businesses to provide information on the smartest ways to use energy.
The program aims to:
- Minimise energy consumption and costs for small and medium business and community organisations.
- Assist Australian small and medium businesses to improve their competiveness.
Projects could include developing:
- Tools and training to enable organisations to understand their energy use.
- Targeted information products on how organisations can save energy.
- Ongoing support services to improve organisational energy management.
Under round one of the program, 28 applications seeking a total of $20 million were successful. These included a number of agricultural industry applications:
♦ Dairy Australia – Smarter energy use on Australian dairy farms ($1,000,000);
♦ South Australian Wine Industry Association – Development of the ‘Winery Energy Saver Toolkit’ ($208,660);
♦ The Australian Meat Industry Council, The Australian Meat Processor Corporation and The National Meat Industry Training Advisory Council – An Engagement, Extension and Education Program for Small-Medium Enterprises delivering to the Red Meat Industry, Supply Chain and related Communities ($528,250).
Given the potential for significant energy use by growers, for pumping and cool storage, there is an opportunity for the vegetable industry to seek funding from this program. The second round closed on the 20 December 2012. A third round is not yet listed.