Eligibility and Alignment Tool

Step 1 of 5

Five minute self-assessment
ARENA provides grant funding for innovative, high merit projects that involve a renewable technology or enabling technology. This self-assessment tool should take no longer than 5 minutes. It will let you will know if you are eligible to apply for ARENA funding and if your proposed project aligns with ARENA’s Investment Priorities and the Advancing Renewables Program (ARP) outcomes.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can request an ARENA representative contact you to discuss your project and provide more detailed feedback on the likely merit of your proposal.
The answers you provide in this assessment are not legally binding. They serve as a guide to understand the basic requirements for submitting an application under the Advancing Renewables Program Guidelines.
Successful completion of this self-assessment should not be considered as assurance that your project will be eligible under the ARP. Should you choose to submit a formal application, ARENA will still assess the eligibility based on the information provided at that time. Any information submitted by you during this self-assessment will be dealt with in accordance with ARENA's Privacy Policy terms.
Information of a confidential nature provided by you as part of this process will be treated by ARENA as confidential, as set out in the Advancing Renewables Program Guidelines (PDF 2MB).

1. On application, will you hold an Australian Business Number (ABN)?*
ABN: As you do not hold a valid ABN, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
1b. Are you (or at the time of entering into a funding agreement with ARENA):*
- an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) with a valid ACN
- a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a government business enterprise by section 5(1) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014
- an Australian state or territory owned corporation or a subsidiary of an Australian state or territory owned corporation
- an Australian local government or council.
Organisation: As your entity is not consistent with a type that’s required by ARENA, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
2. Are you undertaking desktop studies or analysis as part of your project?*
3. Are you developing an innovative renewable energy technology or business model and/or is your project new in the Australian context?*
Project: Your project may not meet the innovation requirements as ARENA funding is predominantly used for technology or business models that are new and/or innovative, or is a new application of an existing technology.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
4. Does your project involve a renewable energy technology or an enabling technology that is linked to renewable technology (e.g. solar PV technology would be a renewable energy technology, while a battery system or control system for integration with solar PV would be enabling technologies)?*
Technology: As you do not meet ARENA’s renewable energy technology requirements, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
5. Has your project, or technology been validated in a laboratory environment and is (ideally) at prototype stage?*
View the 'Before applying for ARENA funding' diagram (PDF 46KB)
Validation: As your project and/or technology is at an early developmental stage, your project will not be eligible for ARENA's Advancing Renewables Program. ARENA's R&D Program provides funding for earlier stage technology development; however, is only open for specific, themed funding rounds, announced on the ARENA website.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants

6. Will your proposed Activity take place primarily within Australia?*
Location: As your project does not take place primarily within Australia, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
7. How much ARENA funding (other than for equipment purchase) will be used towards overseas expenditure?*
Overseas expenditure: As your overseas expenditure exceeds 10%, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
8. ARENA requires applicants to share knowledge with the renewable energy industry and other key stakeholders, such as the general public. If your proposal is successful, are you willing to publicly share knowledge and information about any potentially funded project? If your proposal is successful, are you willing to commit resources to produce high quality knowledge products to communicate the results of your proposed project publicly?*
Knowledge sharing: As you do not meet ARENA’s knowledge sharing requirements, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
9. Do you own, or have access to, the intellectual property necessary to carry out your project?*
Intellectual property: As you do not meet ARENA’s intellectual property requirements, it appears you are not eligible to apply for ARENA funding.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants
10. Is your project: a) innovative or novel, b) addressing a specific barrier in the renewable energy sector, c) involving a renewable energy technology?*
Activity: Based on your response, it appears your project is not closely aligned with ARENA’s priorities and/or program objectives and may not be considered high merit.
You may wish to consider the following agencies/resources who may be able to assist:

- Australian Research Council (ARC)
- Clean Energy Innovation Fund
- Clean Energy Finance Corporation
- Clean Energy Council
- Emissions Reduction Fund
- Clean Energy Regulator
- Federal Government grants

11. Provide information about your project. Include a project description, list of project partners (if any), the project location and estimated total cost and amount of ARENA funding being sought.*
Have this information available when speaking with ARENA about your project.
12. Which ARENA investment priority area does your project relate to?*
View the ARENA website definitions of each priority.

Your project may not be considered high merit if it does not meet ARENA’s investment priorities.
13. How does your project support the technology challenges and opportunities outlined in the Federal Government's Low Emissions Technology Statement?*
Read the Low Emissions Technology Statement.
14. What proportion of your required funding are you seeking from Australian Government sources (including ARENA)?*
Your project may not be considered high merit if it requires more than 50% of funding from Australian Government sources.
15. Do you have at least matched funding for your project (i.e. for every dollar of government funds - including ARENA - there is at least $1 contributed from the applicant and/or project partners)?*
Your project may not be considered high merit if it requires over 50% of funding from ARENA.
16. Is there a clear pathway to commercialisation for your technology or project? Can your technology or project ultimately reach a level where the project is financially sustainable without external funding?*
Your project may not be considered high merit if there is no clear pathway to commercialisation (i.e. where ongoing financial sustainability can be achieved without external funding).

Please provide your contact details so a member of the Business Development and Transactions team can discuss the proposal with you.

If you would like to find out more about ARENA and its funding, visit the Funding Programs page.
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Last updated 09 September 2021

Last updated
09 September 2021

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