Grants to install Community Batteries

We know many businesses have concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on grant applications and grant management. When applying for a grant, consider timeframes and constraints that may impact grant activities due to COVID-19.

If COVID-19 has impacted your ability to meet the obligations of your grant agreement, to discuss your circumstances and how we can assist you, you should contact:

• your customer service manager
• an agent at our Contact Centre.

You can find further COVID-19 government financial assistance and support for Australian businesses on our coronavirus information and support for business page.

First we check that you meet the eligibility criteria. Then we assess your application against the assessment criteria.

If 2 or more applicants apply to install a community battery in the same location, we will award funding to the applicant who scores the highest against the assessment criteria.

The assessment criteria are a set of rules that describe how we must assess each application.

The assessment criterion are weighted equally. To satisfy the assessment criteria you must score at least 60% against each assessment criterion.

• Assessment criterion 1: Project alignment with the policy intent.
• Assessment criterion 2: Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project. 

If you have any questions about potential RET liability, please contact the Clean Energy Regulator via cer-ret-liability@cer.gov.au.

If your community battery project location is not eligible for grant funding under Stream 1 or Stream 2, you might be eligible for grant funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Community Batteries for Household Solar program.

ARENA is administering $171m grant funding for 342 community batteries, and is expected to open for applications from April 2023. To find out more contact ARENA.

Sample applications

The best way to understand what information you need to provide is to start an application. We have also provided a version to download at the bottom of this page.

Technical help

See our customer portal's frequently asked questions to help with your queries. If you can't find your answer, contact us for assistance.

We can’t consider the application you submit after the close date under any circumstances.

If you submit your application before the close date you can’t retrieve it to make changes. We award the grant depending on who is among the first to apply.

We may contact you for clarification if we find an error in your application.

Accepting additional information provided after the submission of your application is at the discretion of the Program Delegate. Additional information should not materially change your application at the time it was submitted and therefore may be refused if deemed to be purely supplementary.