The federal government has announced $200 million in grant funding through the first round of the Powering the Regions Fund (PRF), awarded to upgrade steelmaking at BlueScope’s Port Kembla and Liberty Steel’s Whyalla sites. In a statement on Wednesday, the two grants were described as: $136.8 million to assist BlueScope with the reline and upgrade…
The federal government has announced “up to $70 million” in funding to support development of the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub in Queensland, with construction expected to be complete in 2026. In a statement on Tuesday, energy minister Chris Bowen said that “with its port, expertise in exports and access to Queensland’s abundant solar resources” the…
By Lucy Richardson, Monash University and Ella Healy, Monash University A paradox lies at the heart of Australian public opinion about climate change. While there is clear general support for substantial government action to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, there is also strong concern about the local impacts of new renewable energy infrastructure. The…
Agrimin’s $1 million tax rebate Minerals business Agrimin has announced receipt of a tax refund worth $1.0 million under the Research and Development Tax Incentive program, related to R&D expenditure incurred for the Mackay Potash Project during the year ended June 30, 2023. The refund includes eligible overseas R&D expenditure. Debbie Morrow, Managing Director and…
The federal government has announced that it will spend $70 million towards development of Tasmania’s Bell Bay hydrogen hub, which will create a claimed 45,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen a year and about 740 jobs, and be completed “by early 2028”. According to a joint statement on Thursday morning from federal energy minister Chris Bowen…
By Brent Balinski It is the time of year when many of us are reopening, if we aren’t already open for business. Being open for business can have different meanings for different people, as prime minister Anthony Albanese’s description of the National Reconstruction Fund on Monday morning showed. The independent National Reconstruction Fund Corporation is…
By Alison Reeve, Grattan Institute If you listen to the dreamers, hydrogen is the magical fuel of the future that can replace everything from the petrol in your car to the coal in a steelworks. Hype around hydrogen has been building in Australia since at least 2018. Every government has a hydrogen strategy. Hydrogen has…
Another report on the industry has been delivered, with the House Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources tabling Sovereign, smart, sustainable: Driving advanced manufacturing in Australia on Thursday. The committee began accepting written submissions early this year before holding public hearings. According to the committee’s chair, Labor’s MP for McEwen Rob Mitchell, “the notion…
The new Industry Growth Program – worth $392 million, aimed at assisting startups and SMEs with commercialisation, and announced in the May federal budget – is now open for applications. The IGP provides matched funding through grants worth between $50,000 and $5 million, supporting development of an “innovative product, process or service” that is either…
By Tony Wood, Grattan Institute On Thursday Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced a scheme to underwrite the risk of investing in new renewable energy generation and storage. The expansion of the national Capacity Investment Scheme follows a successful pilot study with New South Wales. The government paid A$1.8 billion for just over a gigawatt…
