Powering Australia industry growth centre announced

The federal government has awarded $14 million to Powering Australia Limited to establish the Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre to help Australian businesses manufacture renewable energy technologies.

The Centre which stems from the Energy Storage CRC and Curtin University will fund activities and provide services to:

• help commercialise locally manufactured renewable energy technologies and ideas
• encourage connections between critical minerals producers and renewable technology manufacturers
• And include a First Nations Advisor to build First Nations business management capabilities in renewable technologies.

The government gave no new details in its announcement today on how the new PAIGC would operate.

It is part of the $392.4 million Industry Growth Program announced in the May, 2024 budget which is a new iteration of the the previous government scheme that established six industry growth centres.

The new program established a service made up of business advisers who are backed by the possibility of grants worth between $50,000 and $5 million.

The government said in a statement that the new centre delivers on its election commitment under the Australia Made Battery Plan, to provide advanced technology and skills development to businesses looking to locally manufacture renewable technologies.

“It also builds on the government’s suite of support for the renewable technology industry, including Powering Australia, Rewiring the Nation and a Future Made in Australia.”

The centre also aligns with the National Reconstruction Fund’s priority area of renewables, value adding in resources and low-emissions technologies.

The Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said: “Batteries, renewables and other low-emissions technologies offer huge opportunities for Australian industry to create jobs and the sovereign capabilities critical to our economic success.

“This $14 million investment is targeted support to grow Aussie know-how in these emerging areas.

“It aligns with what we’re doing with our $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund, which has renewable and low-emissions technologies as one of its priority investment areas, once again demonstrating how Government linking up policies can better support Australian industry.”

Further reading:
Government not giving up on industry growth centres just yet – Husic
Back to the future with Industry Growth Program

Picture: AMGC