The Australia-Austria Industrial Decarbonisation Demonstration Partnerships Program provides funding for joint Australian and Austrian projects that seek development of decarbonisation technologies for hard-to-abate energy-intensive industries.

The program supports collaborative demonstration or pilot/test projects between Australia and Austria that strengthen connections between Australian and Austrian industry and support the development of decarbonisation technologies for hard-to-abate energy-intensive industries.

At present, there are few commercially viable routes to the full industrial decarbonisation of hard-to-abate energy-intensive industries. The program will help demonstrate the commercial viability of industrial decarbonisation solutions and promote their wider acceptance in industry.

The objectives of the program are to:

• advance the development and deployment of innovative technologies, processes or solutions to decarbonise hard-to-abate energy-intensive industries including ironmaking and steelmaking, chemicals manufacturing, the production of lime and cement, or alumina and aluminium production
• incentivise action by industry by reducing the financial and technical risks of industrial decarbonisation demonstration projects
• foster greater collaboration between industry in Australia and Austria
• leverage private and non-Commonwealth funding towards clean energy technologies and projects in Australia
• build industry expertise and share knowledge and information from the program, in line with the aims of the Net Zero Industries Mission.

What do you get?

A grant of up to $3,500,000, to cover up to 25% of eligible expenditure.

Who is it for?

Energy industry organisations in partnership with Austrian counterparts who are eligible for the grant under the Australia-Austria Call 2024: Industrial Decarbonisation program.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• are registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)

and are one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust.

We can only accept applications:

• where project activities are undertaken in both Australia and Austria
• where you provide all mandatory attachments
• where you identify an Austrian project partner that will or has applied for funding under the Australia-Austria Call 2024: Industrial Decarbonisation (Austrian applicants only).

You can’t apply if you are:

• an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
• an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
• an individual
• a sole trader
• a partnership
• an overseas resident/organisation
• a university or research organisation or an entity whose primary purpose is to undertake research (however, they can be a partner in a joint application)
• an unincorporated association
• a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust)
• a Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body (including government business enterprises)
• a non-corporate Commonwealth entity
• any other organisation not included in section 4.1 of the grant opportunity guidelines.

Eligible projects

You must complete your project by 31 March 2028.

To be eligible your project must:

• have at least $600,000 in eligible expenditure
• advance the development and deployment of innovative technologies, processes or solutions required to support net-zero emissions in energy-intensive hard-to-abate sectors
• be, or be directly linked to, a physical demonstration or pilot/test plant and have a Technology Readiness Level of 5 to 8
• be delivered in Australia and Austria.

• Phone: 13 28 46
• Email: AAIndustrialDecarbonisation@industry.gov.au