In 2024, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy requested ARENA to consider expanding funding to support more community electrification demonstration projects across Australia.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) continues to be committed to supporting innovative electrification projects that will help accelerate the transition to electrification and emissions reduction. Since 2018, ARENA has invested $144.5 million into 49 projects that achieve this purpose.
Community electrification holds the promise of unlocking renewable energy demand across the residential sector, reducing bills and giving households a stake in the clean energy transition.
ARENA's announcement on 4 May 2024 of $6.2 million for SA Power Networks' "Energy Masters Project" alongside the 15 October 2024 announcement of $5.4 million in support for the "Electrify 2515" Project in North Wollongong are early and leading examples of community electrification demonstration projects of this type.
Under the Flexible Demand focus area, ARENA looks to support high merit, innovative projects that enable flexible demand for residents. Projects that overcome barriers and deliver the required infrastructure to orchestrate and integrate consumer energy resources to maximise the value of those resources.
As part of any process associated with this focus area, ARENA is engaging with industry and other key stakeholders to understand the opportunities that are available, and which are consistent with our strategic priorities and funding model.
We are also committed to ensuring that any projects that receive funding from ARENA deliver new insights and knowledge that can be shared across industry and meets our independent assessment and board approval process.
ARENA applies a rigorous probity and merit-based approach, which gives government and all stakeholders confidence in the quality of projects we fund.
ARENA has found over time that successful projects have strong project proponents who can manage technical, regulatory and delivery risk and can access finance to share the project's costs.
