Monday 2 November 2020

Australian dairy farming businesses awarded energy efficiency grants of up to AUD$20,000

The Australian Government has announced a new scheme to award energy efficiency grants of up to AUD$20,000 (£10,800) to dairy farming businesses.

The programme, which is part of the government’s AUD$3.5 billion (£1.9bn) Climate Solutions package that underpins Australia’s 2030 climate commitments, will support investments in energy-efficient measures, including vacuum pumps, cooling and heating equipment and monitoring systems to better manage their energy use.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said energy use in milk cooling, milk harvesting and hot water production is one of the highest expenses in the dairy sector, so anything that can be done to reduce costs will help support the financial resilience of these farmers.

Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said: "With energy a significant cost of doing business in the dairy industry, these grants will help farmers lower their bills and help ensure the long-term viability of their businesses.

“Helping these businesses to cut their power bills by becoming more energy-efficient will ease the financial pressures they face while also reducing our emissions. It’s a win-win.”

According to official figures, agriculture was responsible for about 16% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2013.