Grant opportunities: recycling research and recycling of solar panels
Two grants have recently opened. The first is available Australia-wide and is for industry-led research addressing gaps in Australia’s waste and recycling capability. The second is just for NSW and is focussed on trials for solar panel equipment recycling.
Contact MRA to find out how these grants can work for you and benefit your local area and Australia.
Two grants have recently opened. The first is available Australia-wide and is for industry-led research addressing gaps in Australia’s waste and recycling capability. The second is just for NSW and is focussed on trials for solar panel and related equipment recycling.
National– Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-P) Grants Round 10
| Applicant type | Project requirements | Funding |
| An Australian business must be the lead applicant. Each project application must include at least 2 Australian businesses (including 1 SME) and one Australian research organisation. | – Short-term industry-led collaborative research. – Develop a product, service or process which addresses gaps in Australia’s waste and recycling capability. – Benefit SMEs and increase their capacity to grow and adapt. – Include education and training activities. Priorities Projects to address challenges constraining Australia’s waste and recycling capacity: o Lack of reprocessing capacity and technology (e.g. innovative reprocessing solutions) o Lack of products made from recycled material (e.g. ways to increase recycled content into products) o Products not designed for reuse or recycling (e.g. reduction of composite or problematic materials in product design and packaging) o Other problematic waste materials (e.g. building material waste) | – $100,000 to $3 million, 50% of eligible project costs. – Approx. $10 million pool of funding available for projects solve waste and recycling challenges and grow domestic capacity, particularly for plastics, paper, glass and tyres. What will be funded? New research, proof of concept activities, pre-commercialisation of research outcomes, industry-focussed education and training, conferences, workshops, other information sharing and communication initiatives. What will not be funded? Purchase of land, building, construction and maintenance costs, marketing and promotional costs, routine operational expenses, activities already supported through other sources, retrospective costs. |
NSW– Circular Solar Trials Grants Program
The NSW Government has committed to a $10 million recycling fund to reduce landfilling of solar panels and battery systems. This Circular solar trials grants program is the first phase of this recycling fund program. A total of $2 million is available under this program for eligible projects that are shortlisted from the EOI stage to participate in the detailed project planning stage.
| Applicant type | Project requirements | Funding |
| Lead applicant must hold an ABN and be: · An Australian entity or partnership incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cwlth) · A council, regional organisation of councils or local government-controlled organisation · A state government entity · An Australian research institution, or · A NGO/NFP organisation. Projects are expected to involve strong and collaborative partnerships across the supply chain. | Projects are to: – Test the commercial and logistical feasibility of collecting and aggregating solar panel and battery systems for recycling/reuse – Link collected resources with end-markets to show end-to-end solutions – Trial a ‘whole of supply chain’ approach to developing a solar panel and battery circular economy – Be located in NSW. Partnership projects with an emphasis on end-to-end supply chain collaboration are encouraged. | – Expected funding requests of up to $1 million. Minimum cash co-contribution of 25% of eligible costs. – Funding requests greater than $1 million may be considered if a highly compelling project. – Total of $2 million funding available. What will be funded? Project management and relationship facilitation costs, transportation of materials, buying/hiring plant and equipment, modifications to existing facilities, activities to increase end markets, training/education, research and development activities, sampling and testing, staff time (up to 50%), consultant time. What will not be funded? Retrospective costs, purchase of land, ongoing operational costs, costs associated with disposal of solar panels or battery systems, planning and licencing costs, activities funded through other EPA programs. |
Invitation to submit detailed business case approx. mid-October 2020. Projects expected to start by February 2021 and finish by December 2022.
MRA has submitted more than 200 grant applications to date, winning more than $60m in funding for our clients.
We can provide a one-stop shop to maximise your chances of success and can assist by:
- Preparing grant proposals on your behalf;
- Reviewing grant proposals;
- Source equipment providers;
- Provide costings on infrastructure;
- Prepare the business case; and
- All of the necessary financial feasibility analysis requirements.
If your organisation is interested in any of the above grant programs, please contact Emma Yuen on emma@mraconsulting.com.au or on 0416 474 642 or info@mraconsulting.com.au or on (02) 8541 6169.
