ACT Energy Innovation Fund

The ACT Energy Innovation Fund supports the territory’s transition to a net-zero energy economy. It funds innovative energy technologies, policy advancements, and ecosystem development. The Fund has a total allocation of $19 million. This follows the fifth round of the ACT renewables auction, which helps maintain the ACT’s 100% renewable electricity target. The ACT Government’s Environment, Planning, and Sustainable Development Directorate administers the EIF. An independent Industry Advisory Board provides guidance.

Funding Streams and Grant Amounts:

In this round of the Energy Innovation Fund, there are three funding streams:

• • Stream 1 – Technology Demonstration Grant: Allocated $10 million over 5 years. Organisations can apply for funding starting at $50,000, up to $1,000,000 per grant.

• • Stream 2 – Policy Challenge Grant: Allocated up to $3.75 million in funding. Organisations can apply for funding starting at $20,000, up to $500,000 per grant.

• • Stream 3 – Innovation Ecosystem Grant: Allocated $3.25 million over 5 years. Organisations can apply for funding starting at $30,000, up to $300,000 per grant.

Stream	Grant Range	Funding Allocation	Purpose
Stream 1: Technology Demonstration Grant	$50,000 to $1,000,000	$10 million over 5 years	Supports technology research, development, and demonstration projects relevant to ACT’s energy transition with export potential.
Stream 2: Policy Challenge Grant	$20,000 to $500,000	$3.75 million	Funds projects that advance ACT’s energy transition policy, fostering partnerships between research, innovation, and policy sectors.
Stream 3: Innovation Ecosystem Grant	$30,000 to $300,000	$3.25 million over 5 years	Supports innovation clusters and business accelerators to build capacity and promote Canberra’s energy innovation sector.

Key Eligibility Criteria of ACT Energy Innovation Fund:

General Criteria (Across all streams):

• Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Be based in ACT, or ensure most activities occur mostly in ACT.
• You must have insurance required by law, including workers’ compensation and $10 million public liability insurance, and be prepared to acquire it if you are successful.
• Demonstrate contribution to ACT’s net zero emissions target by 2045.
• Be registered for Goods and Services Tax.
• Organisations supporting the target of net-zero emissions by 2045 will be regarded positively.

Stream-Specific Criteria:

• • Stream 1 – Technology Demonstration Grant: Complete all project milestones within three years.

• • Provide a minimum 1:1 matched co-contribution, with cash contributions preferred over in-kind contributions.

• • Stream 2 – Policy Challenge Grant: Have expertise in the energy transition.

• • Be a university, think tank, or research institution specialising in the energy transition, particularly those with industry partnerships.

• • Stream 3 – Innovation Ecosystem Grant: Innovation Clusters category: Businesses and industry-related non-profit organisations.

• • Business Accelerator category: Businesses only.

Eligible Activities:

Stream 1 – Technology Demonstration Grant: Commercially oriented energy innovation, regardless of the specific technology. This includes:

• • • Emerging storage technologies.

• • • Demand-side electricity solutions.

• • • Zero emissions transport business models.

Projects support innovative energy projects that involve technology research, development, and demonstrations. These projects must be relevant to the ACT’s energy transition and have export potential.

Stream 2 – Policy Challenge Grant: Policy research.

• • New business models.

• • Regulatory sandbox experiments designed to address the ACT’s unique energy transition challenges.

• • Projects support the advancement of the ACT’s energy transition policy.

Stream 3 – Innovation Ecosystem Grant: Innovation Clusters: Enhance capacity building within the ACT’s energy innovation sector through:

• • • Networking events.

• • • Investor connections.

• • • Knowledge workshops.

• • • Conferences.

• • • International showcases to promote Canberra’s innovation ecosystem.

• • Business Accelerator: Support for transitioning prototypes to commercially successful products and services.

Assessment Criteria:

Applications are competitively assessed by a judging panel on:

• Innovation (40%): Transformational approaches supporting net zero transition and knowledge sharing.
• Technical and Commercial Viability (25%): Robust development processes, scalability, commercial opportunity, and business model strength.
• Application Quality and Organisational Capacity (25%): Capability to deliver, risk management, and approvals.
• Return on Investment (10%): Proportional funding request, private investment leverage, and benefits to ACT.

Application Process:

Grant applications for ACT Energy Innovation Fund are assessed quarterly, with closing dates varying by stream. Applications are evaluated by an independent panel based on merit criteria. Applicants may be requested to provide additional information or clarifications.

How can you get help with your application or assess your likelihood of success?

Consider consulting with a professional grant specialist like Pattens Group. We offer initial assessments to review your business’s eligibility. We will also evaluate project alignment with grant objectives. For more info, please visit ACT Government official website.