Commonwealth Numbered Regulations Commonwealth Numbered Regulations(1) For the purposes of paragraph 8(f) of the Act, ARENA has the following functions:
(a) subject to subsection (2) of this section, to provide the following financial assistance:
(i) Freight Efficiency Assistance Grants;
(ii) Freight Energy Productivity Trial Program financial assistance;
(iii) Future Fuels Fund financial assistance;
(iv) Industrial Energy Transformation Studies Program financial assistance;
(v) Regional Australia Microgrid Pilots Program financial assistance;
(b) subject to subsection (4), to enter into agreements for the purpose of providing financial assistance as mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection and to administer such agreements;
(c) to collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information and knowledge relating to the outcomes of the projects, studies and other things for which financial assistance was provided as mentioned in paragraph (a);
(d) to liaise with State and Territory governments and other authorities for the purpose of facilitating projects for which financial assistance is, or is proposed to be, provided as mentioned in paragraph (a);
(e) to provide information to the Minister about the total amount of financial assistance provided by ARENA under paragraph (a), including information about how much of that financial assistance relates to renewable energy technologies.
Cap
(2) The function prescribed by paragraph (1)(a) does not include providing:
(a) a particular grant; or
(b) particular assistance of another kind;
if, were ARENA to provide the grant etc., the total amount of financial assistance provided by ARENA under that paragraph would exceed $192.5 million.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), disregard financial assistance that ARENA could provide under both:
(a) paragraph (1)(a); and
(b) another Commonwealth law (including another section of this instrument).
Time limit
(4) The function prescribed by paragraph (1)(b) does not include entering into an agreement on or after 1 January 2026.
(5) Subsection (4) does not affect the ability of ARENA:
(a) to vary or terminate an agreement entered into before 1 January 2026; or
(b) to enter into an agreement on or after 1 January 2026 under another Commonwealth law (including another section of this instrument).
Information about total amount of financial assistance
(6) The Minister must cause a copy of information ARENA provides to the Minister under paragraph (1)(e) to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after ARENA provides the information to the Minister.
Definitions
(7) In this instrument:
"Freight Efficiency Assistance Grants " means financial assistance (other than Freight Energy Productivity Trial Program financial assistance) for:
(a) anything that is intended to increase:
(i) energy productivity or fuel efficiency in the road transport sector; or
(ii) the proportion of energy used in the road transport sector that is renewable energy; or
(b) without limiting paragraph (a)--projects relating to energy efficiency rating or certification in the road transport sector; or
(c) without limiting paragraph (a)--providing information to the road transport sector about:
(i) increasing energy productivity or fuel efficiency; or
(ii) using renewable energy in heavy freight vehicle fleets.
"Freight Energy Productivity Trial Program financial assistance " means financial assistance for test projects that:
(a) relate to the effects on energy productivity or fuel efficiency of new truck:
(i) drivetrain technologies; or
(ii) component technologies; or
(iii) logistic technologies; and
(b) involve the use of renewable energy.
"Future Fuels Fund financial assistance " means financial assistance for anything that is intended to reduce barriers to the on-road use of:
(a) electric vehicles; or
(b) vehicles powered by biofuels; or
(c) vehicles powered by clean hydrogen.
Example: Funding for research and development projects relating to, or deployment of, any of the following:
(a) charging infrastructure, including public electric vehicle chargers;
(b) biofuel refuelling infrastructure;
(c) clean hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, including infrastructure that integrates hydrogen refuelling with clean hydrogen production;
(d) electrical upgrades relating to charging electric vehicles;
(e) batteries or fuel cells, or related technologies, for electric vehicles.
"Industrial Energy Transformation Studies Program financial assistance " means financial assistance for studies conducted for the purpose of improving business decisions relating to investing in energy efficiency technologies (whether or not the decisions also involve investing in other low emissions technologies).
"Regional Australia Microgrid Pilots Program financial assistance " means financial assistance for pilot projects relating to the use of renewable energy microgrids in regional and remote areas.