The Federal Government has announced $62 million in grants to help small and medium businesses lower the cost of energy bills.
Grants of between $10,000 and $25,000 will be available to SMEs in all sectors to fund energy-saving measures such as installing tools to monitor energy usage or installing high-efficiency air conditioners.
Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, said the Energy Efficiency Grants for SMEs program would help businesses use less energy while lowering carbon emissions.
“We know that SMEs are under stress, 36 per cent of small businesses report that electricity is one of their biggest overheads, with a further 38 per cent saying they were a substantial cost to the business.
“Improvements in the energy efficiency will ease pressure on energy bills for these SMEs and on the grid and drive better energy performance across the economy.”
Greg Griffiths, CEO of the National Retail Association (NRA), encouraged the retail community to take advantage of the funding.
“Energy is one of the biggest overheads for many businesses, particularly retailers who deal with food and drinks that require large refrigeration cabinets.
“All retailers know the costs of running that equipment have increased significantly in recent years, and these are costs that need to be passed on to consumers. It’s pleasing to see the Federal Government recognise that increased cost burden, particularly at a time when consumers are becoming increasingly cautious and price sensitive.”
Applications for round one of the grants, which will be a total of $16 million, open on 6 March and close on 19 April 2023. The second round of grants will be delivered next year.
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