Up to $20,000 is available from the On farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Program to assist farmers to reduce their energy charges.
On Farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Program
The On-farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Program provides Tasmanian farmers with funding to undertake an on-farm energy and irrigation audit and purchase new energy-saving or energy efficient capital infrastructure.
Background
The On-farm Energy Audit and Capital Grant Program is an initiative of the Tasmanian Government, providing grants to Tasmanian Farm Businesses. It supports the government’s AgriVision 2050 policy, which aims to increase the value of agriculture and agri-food sectors.
The Program has two components:
- Audit Grants: Audit Grants provide a subsidy to assist eligible Tasmanian Farm Businesses to engage a qualified professional to review their farm energy use, infrastructure and systems and identify savings strategies. This may include advice on pumping and efficient irrigation systems, general farm operations, solar, domestic usage, and farm machinery and equipment.
- Capital Infrastructure Grants: Capital Infrastructure Grants provide a subsidy to assist eligible Tasmanian Farm Businesses to purchase new energy-saving or energy-efficient capital infrastructure to support improved or optimised on-farm energy efficiency, as recommend by an Energy and/or Irrigation Audit prepared by a suitably qualified professional. This may include, for example, irrigation pumps, lighting, insulation, ventilation infrastructure, solar panels, solar powered battery storage, or heating or cooling infrastructure.
Funding
The Program has an annual financial year allocation for three years (2018/19 – 2020/21) and the program will be closed if the allocation for any financial year is fully exhausted. Maximum grant assistance available under the Program is $20 000 per applicant, which can be spread across an Audit Grant and a Capital Infrastructure Grant. Applicants can be approved for funding under each Grant type only once.
Audit Grants:
- For every $2 of grant funds provided, successful applicants must contribute at least $1, with grant funds provided to assist them to engage a suitably qualified professional to undertake Energy Audit(s) and/or Irrigation Audit(s).
- Minimum grant assistance for an Audit Grant is $1 000 (which equates to an audit cost of $1 500).
Capital Infrastructure Grants:
- For every $1 of grant funds provided, successful applicants must contribute at least $1, with grant funds provided to assist them with the purchase of energy-saving or energy-efficient capital infrastructure.
- Minimum grant assistance for a Capital Infrastructure Grant is $1 000 (which equates to a purchase cost of $2 000).
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- be running a small to medium Tasmanian farm business involved in the agriculture, horticulture, pastoral, apiculture and / or aquaculture industries
- operate as a sole trader, trust, partnership or private company
- be registered for tax purposes in Australia with an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST
- have an annual sales turnover (revenue generated) of $5 million or less
Applicants should note that complying with the eligibility criteria does not automatically mean an application to the Program will be approved.
Timing
Applications close 30 June 2021.
