Agriculture Energy Investment Plan – On-Farm Energy Grants Program: Tier 1

This program aims to provide support to farmers to replace energy inefficient equipment, install more energy efficient systems and enable own-generation capacity. It is one of the funding tier of the On-Farm Energy Grants Program which forms part of the Victorian Government's Agriculture Energy Investment Plan.

The Agriculture Energy Investment Plan (AEIP) seeks to support on-farm businesses to improve energy efficiency, manage energy costs, improve energy reliability and support own-generation capacity.

Grants of up to $50,000 (excluding GST) are available on a dollar-for-dollar matched funding basis.

Payment of a grant will occur at project completion. The department may, in its discretion and on a case-by-case basis, give consideration to paying a grant in (two) instalments. The request to be paid in instalments must be made at the application stage.

Eligible applicants include farmer businesses who must:
- Be in receipt of a type 1 or type 2 on-farm energy assessment undertaken as part of the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan, or an approved equivalent energy assessment.
- Be a business with an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Have an eligible farm business located in Victoria.
- Spend more than $8,000 per annum (including GST) on energy inclusive of electricity, gas, LPG and diesel (excludes energy for transport).
- Be a legal entity.
- Be able to meet the required cash co-contribution (a minimum of $1 for every $1 provided by the government).
- Attest to having obtained all relevant regulatory approvals for the project to commence (where applicable).
- Meet all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards.
- Agree to participate in future program evaluation activity.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements and list of ineligible applicants.

Eligible projects include those that will increase energy efficiency which may, reduce energy costs and boost productivity. This will be through actions such as the purchase and installation of equipment that improves the energy efficiency and productivity of the applicant’s eligible farm business activities.

Eligible farm business activities include:
- Cultivating or propagating plants, fungi or their products or parts (including seeds, spores, bulbs and similar things) in any physical environment.
- Maintaining animals for the purpose of selling them or their bodily produce (including natural increase).
- Manufacturing dairy produce from raw material that they produce.
- Operating on-land aquaculture facilities.