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GRANT ALERT: Agriculture Energy Investment Plan

GRANT ALERT: Agriculture Energy Investment Plan

22/05/2018

Agriculture Victoria is rolling out State Government’s $30 million Agriculture Energy Investment Plan. Independent ‘on-farm’ energy assessments are now available to eligible Victorian primary producers. Future grants will also support farmers investing in energy efficiency and energy generation technology.

On-farm energy assessments 

The free energy assessments will analyse on-farm energy use (electricity, gas and diesel) and identify opportunities to make energy savings, improve output volumes per energy unit, and convert to renewable energy sources.

Recommendations will be made based on the type and size of the farm.

Eligibility

  • be located in Victoria and have an ABN
  • be an eligible primary producer:spend over $8,000 per annum (including GST) on energy on-farm inclusive of electricity, gas, LPG and diesel (excluding energy for transport).
    • cultivating or propagating plants, fungi or their products or parts (including seeds, spores, bulbs and similar things) in any physical environment, or
    • maintaining animals for the purpose of selling them or their bodily produce (including natural increase), or
    • manufacturing dairy produce from raw material that they produce; or – operating on-land aquaculture facilities
  • spend over $8,000 per annum (including GST) on energy on-farm inclusive of electricity, gas, LPG and diesel (excluding energy for transport).

Primary producers engaged in forestry, on-sea aquaculture and agriculture transport, plus not-for-profit and community organisations, are ineligible to apply.

Applications 

Applications are electronic and will require evidence of energy bills and information on energy usage, costs, contracts and details of energy meters and diesel expenses.

Joint applications can be made by groups of local farmers for shared investments.

Grants

The Plan will support future grants in energy efficiency or energy generation technology. Eligible projects may include:

  • simple equipment upgrades
  • medium to large projects across a range of farming aspects
  • strategic or regionally significant initiatives.

To be eligible for the upcoming grants, farmers will need to have had an energy assessment completed through the Plan, or have a valid previously completed assessment.

Key dates

The on-farm energy assessments will be available until March 2020 or until available funding is exhausted. The grants program will be announced in coming months.

For further information on how to apply, please contact Sam Morris.

Sam Morris

Partner, Tax

T 03 8635 1980

E [email protected]

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