The Australian Government is supporting small and medium food and beverage manufacturers to be more energy efficient, while cutting their electricity bills and emissions. 

Australia’s manufacturing sector employs over 800,000 Australians. Food and beverage manufacturing is one of six national priority areas targeted under the Morrison Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The food and beverage manufacturing industry employs 1 in 4 manufacturing workers and contributes around $22.4 billion to the economy. 

Guidelines have been released today for the $19.9 million Energy Efficient Communities Program. It will provide grants of up to $25,000 for eligible food and beverage manufacturing businesses to help them adopt energy efficient technologies. 

Grants will be split between states and territories based on the proportion of food and beverage manufacturing businesses in each jurisdiction to ensure equitable distribution across Australia.

Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Tim Wilson said the program will cut power bills for businesses and create jobs directly in the sector as well as for local tradespeople. 

“The Morrison Government is helping food and beverage manufacturing businesses to take practical action to cut their energy bills and emissions by upgrading costly and inefficient equipment, like fridges and boilers," he said. 

“These grants are another clear example of the Morrison Government’s technology not taxes approach to reducing emissions, which will bring down power bills and create jobs.” 

Applications for this round of the Energy Efficient Communities Program will open on 12 January 2022 and close on 18 February 2022.

More information, grant guidelines and application forms are available at https://www.business.gov.au/EECFB, or over the phone at 13 28 46. 

Media contact: 

 

Assistant Minister Wilson’s office 02 6277 2392