AusNet has today announced that 24 recipients will receive over $650,000 in grants from AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund.
Executive General Manager Distribution, Andrew Linnie, said the company is pleased to be able to help make a difference through the Fund.
“The Energy Resilience Community Fund was created to enable projects that will build long-term community energy resilience and provide support to communities during the recovery phase of severe weather events which significantly impact the network,” said Mr Linnie.
AusNet established the $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund following the storms in February this year.i Before today, $3 million has already been distributed to help support impacted communities.
Eighteen Energy Resilience Grants have been awarded, totalling close to $535,000, while six Energy Education and Literacy Grants of over $116,000 have also been provided.
They will fund projects across AusNet’s electricity distribution network in eastern and north-eastern Victoria, and Melbourne’s north and east.
“I’d like to congratulate all round one grant recipients. Their commitment to building energy resilience and fostering local education and literacy is commendable. The projects will deliver important and impactful change to these communities,” he said.
Funded energy resilience projects include stand-alone power systems and generators for local community and emergency services infrastructure and small businesses that act as resilience and relief hubs during severe weather events and prolonged outages.
Energy Education and Literacy grants are for projects including community education forums and targeted information kits that ensure residents are aware and prepared for these energy and weather-related challenges.
They include:
- Seven projects in the Yarra Ranges, totalling over $209,000;
- Three grants in Wellington, totalling over $83,000;
- Three grants in Bass Coast, exceeding $71,000; and
- Support for communities in Cardinia, Casey, East Gippsland, Strathbogie, Mitchell, Wangaratta, and South Gippsland, with individual grants ranging from $15,000 to nearly $50,000.
For a full list of grant recipients and funded projects, please refer to the accompanying file, Energy Resilience Community Fund EELG ERG Round One Recipients (PDF, 111KB).
Applications for AusNet’s next round of Energy Resilience Grants and Energy Education and Literacy Grants open Wednesday 27 November. Up to $50k is available for Energy Resilience Grants, and up to $25k for Energy Education and Literacy Grants. For further information visit Energy Resilience Community Fund.
For more information please contact AusNet Social Impact and Grants Specialist Kim Sullivan on 0499 781 580.
i Following an Enforceable Undertaking with the Essential Services Commission, the $10 million fund was increased to $12 million.