More than $10 million in grants have been approved so far as part of round two of the Economic Recovery Fund, with the South Australian Government lifting the cap to allow more small businesses and not-for-profits invest in energy efficient equipment or upgrades.
The State Government said it has been inundated with applications for the Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant, which is the second round of Economic Recovery Fund, far exceeding the $20 million allocated.
The South Australian Government also said it recognises the cost pressures small businesses are facing, which is why it removed the round to cap to allow all eligible applications to be considered.
Almost 1400 applications have been received, with grants ranging from $2500 to a maximum of $50,000, with the applicant required to match the contribution.
The State Government said more than $10 million worth of projects have been approved to date.
Pizza chain One Sneaky Cheetah is among more than 450 applicants approved for grants so far.
The company will receive $50,000 towards an almost $147,000 investment in solar panels and battery storage at its Ridleyton and Stepney stores, with potential energy savings and offsets of around $50,000 per year.
The grants can be used for investments including:
- Purchasing and installing power supply and generation equipment (such as batteries and solar panels)
- Replacing existing appliances with more energy efficient appliances (above four–star rating air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers)
- Purchasing/adopting automation technologies that result in greater energy efficiency
- Building improvements to ensure more efficient heating and/or cooling
The State Government said the majority of applicants have been from the accommodation and food services, retail trade and manufacturing sectors.
Most have applied to invest in solar panels with battery, replace non-LED lighting systems and more energy efficient appliances.
Applications for round two of the ERF fund closed on 29 November 2024.
South Australian Premier, Stephen Mullighan, said the State Government is determined to help more small businesses reduce their power costs, by lifting the cap on the Energy Efficiency Grants scheme.
“We recognise that it’s a tough operating environment for businesses and are doing what we can to help.”
South Australian Minister for Small and Family Business, Andrea Michaels, said the State Government is supporting more small businesses to combat cost of living pressures.
“We’d already approved $20 million to support hundreds of small businesses through this grant and now we’ll provide even more funding to support South Australian small businesses by removing the cap.
“We know that power bills are a particular pain point for small businesses and so it’s been fantastic to see so many business owners apply for this grant so they can make the switch to more energy efficient equipment.”
One Sneaky Cheetah, Director, Joe Anderson, said the Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant has enabled the business to purchase equipment to generate and store enough electricity to be close to energy neutral.
“Not only is this great for the environment, it will save us tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the equipment.”
