The federal government has announced a new $70 million round of grant funding for innovative charging infrastructure to be delivered through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
The new round of grant funding follows today’s release of the government’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy (NEVS) and will be available to Australian businesses, local governments and councils as well as state and territory owned corporations.
The announcement is part of a total funding package of $146.1 million to be delivered by ARENA over the next five years, and the agency says the focus will be on innovative technologies and business models such as vehicle to grid technologies, and other solutions.
“Today’s announcement through ARENA is in addition to the Government’s National Electric Vehicle Charging Network which will deliver a truly national EV charging network with a charger approximately every 150km on our major highways,” said climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen in a statement.
“Australians know that electric and more fuel-efficient vehicles are cleaner and cheaper to run and after less than a year in Government, more Australian households and businesses can access them,” he said.
ARENA says the new funding round will be focused on two parts. The first will be innovation in public charging, while the second area of focus will be on smart charging, vehicle to grid and “orchestration. All projects must be powered by renewables, and will have grants offered between $500,000 and $15 million, which needs to be be matched by proponents.
The new funding round comes after the government was criticised by a number of groups for failing to provide a timeline and details for the implementation of a Fuel Efficiency Standard as part of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy that was announced earlier today.
The government has been accused by a number of groups of kicking the can down the road for its decision to conduct yet another public consultation on the specifics of a fuel efficiency standard after it first committed to implementing one during the National Electric Vehicle Summit in August last year.
The government is now taking public submissions on Australia’s Fuel Efficiency Standard.
The government is taking submissions on Australia Fuel Efficiency Standard until May 31. You can make a submission here.
For more information and to apply for grants through ARENA’s $70 million charging infrastructure funding round visit www.arena.gov.au/funding/driving-the-nation-program
Daniel Bleakley is a clean technology researcher and advocate with a background in engineering and business. He has a strong interest in electric vehicles, renewable energy, manufacturing and public policy.