Energy Innovation Fund

Funding program archive

This page preserves a dated funding-program record and links it to current project-planning guidance.

Publication date: 25 June 2025.

Status note: This archive does not confirm that applications are open, funds remain available or the earlier eligibility and co-funding settings still apply. Verify the current administrator page and guidelines.

What this article reported

Overview

Round 3 - Application Guidelines expected to be released August 2025; and applications anticipated to open in September 2025

Round 1 and 2 - Closed

The Energy Innovation Fund supports the commercialisation of innovative, emerging renewable energy technologies in Victoria, required to meet the net-zero emissions by 2045 target.

The fund is being delivered in multiple rounds.

Round 3

Industrial electrification with a focus on food and beverage processing and manufacturing sector.

Round 3 will support industrial electrification in Victoria, with a specific focus on the food and beverage processing and manufacturing sector.

Round 3 was announced on 25 June 2025 and the program design elements are currently being finalised.

Applications Guidelines, including eligibility and assessment criteria, are anticipated to be released in August 2025, with applications expected to open in September 2025.

For further details on timing, please see the indicative timeline below.

Indicative timing

Funding

Under Round 3, a total funding pool of $10 million will be available. Up to $2 million available per site.

Register your interest

Please send an email to: energy.innovation@deeca.vic.gov.au with the subject line Energy Innovation Fund Round 3 Registration of Interest to receive further information.

Round 2

Technology neutral

Round 2 was open to any renewable technology type that could support Victoria's net-zero emissions by 2045 target and met the eligibility criteria.

Funded projects

A total of $26.3 million was provided to support the below projects. Combined, these projects will create up to 120 construction jobs, 15 ongoing jobs and unlock more than $128 million of commercial investment.

How to use this information now

Before relying on a grant, confirm the current round, applicant and project eligibility, eligible expenditure, co-contribution, assessment process, closing date and evidence obligations. Build the technical case so the project remains understandable with grant support shown separately.

Separate source-reported facts from forecasts, targets and commentary. For a current project, retain the official source, version, effective date, assumptions and decision record in the evidence file.

What is the Energy Innovation Fund and why does it matter for Victorian businesses?

The Energy Innovation Fund is a Victorian government program supporting commercialisation of innovative, emerging renewable energy technologies needed to meet Victoria's net-zero emissions by 2045 target. Round 3, announced 25 June 2025, focuses specifically on industrial electrification in food and beverage processing and manufacturing. For eligible businesses, the fund offers up to $2 million per site from a $10 million pool, reducing capital barriers to technology adoption. We can help assess whether proposed projects meet eligibility criteria, support feasibility studies for electrification options, and prepare investment cases that demonstrate alignment with the fund's priorities.

How should a business approach establishing eligibility before applying for the Energy Innovation Fund?

Before committing to an application, establish four key elements: applicant and project eligibility (confirming your organisation and specific project meet stated criteria); the current round and application deadline; eligible expenditure (which costs the fund will cover); and approval and payment conditions (what conditions must be satisfied for payment). Round 3 applications are anticipated to open September 2025 and close November 2025. Missing any of these elements can result in wasted preparation effort or rejected applications. Our funding-pathway assessment service can help clarify eligibility assumptions, identify evidence gaps, and structure the investment case to demonstrate project merit alongside funding requirements.

What is the difference between Round 2 and Round 3 of the Energy Innovation Fund?

Round 1 focused exclusively on offshore wind; Round 2 was technology-neutral, open to any renewable technology supporting Victoria's net-zero target, and distributed $26.3 million across projects creating up to 120 construction and 15 ongoing jobs with $128 million in unlocked commercial investment. Round 3, with $10 million available, narrows focus to industrial electrification in food and beverage processing and manufacturing sectors. This sectoral shift reflects a strategic priority in decarbonising energy-intensive industries. Understanding Round 3's narrower scope is critical: a renewable project outside these sectors will not be eligible. We can assess whether your facility and technology align with Round 3 priorities and how electrification might be feasible within operational and financial constraints.

What should businesses understand about the timeline and application process for Round 3?

Round 3 guidelines are anticipated in August 2025, with industry consultation August–September 2025, applications opening September 2025, and closing November 2025. These dates are indicative and subject to finalisation. Application guidelines will detail eligibility and assessment criteria—critical information for determining viability before investing in feasibility work. Many businesses fail to preserve evidence or plan measurement early enough to satisfy a funder's requirements. We recommend using the anticipated timeline to plan backward: confirm available energy data, record existing equipment and operating conditions, and identify any prior funding or commitments that might affect eligibility. Early measurement planning and a clear project chronology improve competitiveness.

How does Northmore Gordon help businesses prepare competitive applications for energy innovation funding?

We offer services across multiple stages of the funding pathway. Energy audits and feasibility studies establish technical viability and operating constraints. Investment case development translates engineering findings into financial evidence addressing the fund's likely assessment criteria. Measurement and verification planning ensures projects can demonstrate claimed outcomes post-implementation. Funding-pathway assessment identifies eligibility assumptions, evidence gaps, and commercial conditions before application. By preparing a structured project file with clear baselines, operating assumptions, and verified costs, businesses present more credible proposals. Our knowledge library also provides guidance on separating technical merit from funding eligibility—a project can be worthwhile without a grant, and fund eligibility alone does not confirm operational suitability.

What evidence should an industrial business gather before registering interest in Round 3?

Gather site address and facility details; current equipment, capacities and age; at least one year of complete energy bills and tariffs; available interval metering data; production volumes and operating schedules; existing studies or prior assessments; any quotes or budget estimates; and a clear chronology of prior funding applications or commitments. The fund targets food and beverage processing and manufacturing; confirm your sector alignment. Round 3 focuses industrial electrification, so document current heating, cooling or process-energy sources. Record whether the site is owned, leased or operated under other arrangements, as this affects project control and benefit allocation. Email energy.innovation@deeca.vic.gov.au with 'Energy Innovation Fund Round 3 Registration of Interest' to receive further information. We can help audit this evidence against likely fund requirements and identify gaps before detailed application work begins.

How do funding timelines and project implementation stages affect Energy Innovation Fund eligibility?

Funding schemes often have strict requirements about project stage at application and commissioning dates. Newness, regulatory additionality, and prior commitments can affect eligibility. Raising funding questions while a project is still being scoped—not after equipment is purchased—preserves optionality. If implementation has already begun, manufacturers cannot be assumed to accept a retroactive project boundary. Round 3 guidelines (releasing August 2025) will clarify whether projects must be 'new' at registration and what counts as commencement. Describe your project stage precisely: feasibility approval, final investment decision, purchase commitment, installation, commissioning, or operating. We recommend documenting the real chronology of studies, quotes and commitments rather than retrofitting dates. Early advisement prevents discovering late that intended eligibility pathways are unavailable due to prior actions.

What should a business do if Round 3 closes without securing funding approval?

Treat the funding decision separately from the project's operating merit. A measure can remain worthwhile without a grant, and scheme eligibility does not establish that equipment is appropriate for your operation or economically attractive on standalone terms. Present the investment case with and without conditional funding so leadership understands the core decision. If Round 3 closes without approval, review whether the technology, site or sector remains aligned with future Victorian programs or explore other pathways: certificates (renewable electricity or energy savings schemes in other jurisdictions), internal capital allocation, or commercial financing. Our guidance on grants, certificates and finance recommends assessing each support stream separately rather than combining unverified incentives into a single payback calculation. Keep the business case resilient to funding delays or unavailability.

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