Australian federal funding for local council batteries and solar

Round one of the federal government’s Community Energy Upgrades Fund (CEUF) has allocated more than AUD 50 million to dozens of Australian local councils to co-fund energy efficiency and electrification upgrades to public facilities.

Projects to be co-funded include commercial battery energy storage systems, rooftop and car park solar installations, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and dynamic load management equipment to support the electrification and decarbonization of a vehicle fleet.

The funding round attracted 165 applicants for grants of between AUD 25,000 and AUD 2.5 million to cover up to half of their project expenses.

Some 58 councils secured funding with 17 local authorities in New South Wales to share AUD 15.3 million, 15 Victorian councils securing a total AUD 23.9 million, seven local authorities in Queensland landing AUD 4.5 million between them, and the same number of councils in South Australia sharing AUD 2.3 million. Five authorities in Western Australia will receive a total AUD 2.8 million, five Tasmanian bodies secured AUD 674,000, and two Northern Territory councils successfully applied for AUD 581,000 of grants.

Swimming pools, libraries, community halls, early learning centers, and neighborhood sports clubs are among the facilities to benefit.

Federal Minister for Local Government Kristy McBain said the government had heard, “loud and clear” from councils about the need to upgrade aging facilities with more energy-efficient technology. “They want to bring down their overheads and to lower their emissions – which is exactly why we launched the Community Energy Upgrades Fund,” she said. “We now have transparent grant programs that every postcode can apply for, we’ve delivered record funding increases for local roads, and we’ve brought local councils back to the table as a trusted delivery partner after a decade of neglect, with this program a real testament to what we can achieve for our communities when we work together.”

Australian Local Government Association president, and Gladstone region mayor Matt Burnett, however, has said competitive grant funding programs disadvantage smaller regional, rural, and remote councils.

Commenting in an interim report from a federal parliament inquiry into local government sustainability, Burnett called for a new formula-based funding program to support councils in the delivery of services which would include AUD 500 million per year for community infrastructure and AUD 400 million per year for climate adaptation.

“A strong, sustainable local government sector is critical not just for our local communities but also for the health and productivity of our nation,” said Burnett.

The CEUF will deliver AUD 100 million over two funding rounds and will run over three fiscal years, through June 30, 2027.

Round 2 is expected to open shortly, with unsuccessful applicants from round 1 encouraged to reapply.

From pv magazine Australia.