ARENA Achievements Timeline

Timeline

2018–2019Read the Annual Report (PDF 4MB)

$228 million committed to 80 new projects

• Funded the first utility scale waste-to-energy facility
• Rollout of 60+ ultra-fast EV charging stations starts
• Funded four big batteries
• 11 projects funded to trial short-term forecasting at wind and solar farms
• $11.6 million committed to navigate the integration of distributed energy resources

2017–2018Read the Annual Report (PDF 8MB)

$181.3 million committed to 86 new projects

• Darren Miller appointed as CEO
• Funding for Australia’s first green hydrogen innovation hub
• Ten pilot demand response projects commence operation
• $22.1 million committed to 16 hydrogen research projects
• Launched the Distributed Energy Integration Program with 11 market bodies

2016–2017Read the Annual Report (PDF 4MB)

$123 million committed to 35 new projects

• 12 ARENA-funded large-scale solar farms commence construction
• Launch of A-Lab innovation hub to foster partnerships & develop innovative projects
• Three A-Lab projects funded

2015–2016Read the Annual Report (PDF 4MB)

$74.2 million committed to 28 new projects

• Advancing Renewables Program (ARP) launched
• $200 million Clean Energy Innovation Fund announced (with CEFC)
• Commissioned Australia’s first mine powered by renewables, off-setting 20 per cent of its diesel consumption
• 10 ARENA projects broke world records, achieving world or Australian firsts

2014–2015Read the Annual Report (PDF 3MB)

$278 million committed to 48 projects

• $21.5 million committed to 12 solar PV research and development (R&D) projects
• Provided funding for installation of solar PV into 25 remote Indigenous communities
• Received UN Association of Australia World Environment Day Award

2013–2014Read the Annual Report (PDF 3MB)

$85.2 million committed to 14 projects

• Launched the R&D Program
• ANU developed solar cells using nanoparticles that generate more electrical current than thin-film cells

2012–2013Read the Annual Report (PDF 2.5MB)

$399.8 million transferred to ARENA across 96 projects

• Inaugural CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, appointed
• Managed a portfolio of more than 150 projects valued at $1.1 billion
• Launched four major initiatives totalling $560 million (I-RAR, CARRE, ASCI, SHARE)¹
• Catalysed the creation of the large scale solar industry by providing $268 m to build a combined capacity of 211 MWAC across three solar farms

2012

ARENA Act commenced providing ARENA with $2.5 billion in funding to invest until 2022

• Absorbs Australian Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE) and the Australian Solar Institute (ASI), which includes the ERP, REVC Fund, ABIR Program, Gen 2 Biofuels Program, ACAP, ASTRI and Solar Flagships Program²
• Commits $824m to projects under programs absorbed (above)

2011

Government announced the establishment of ARENA

• 2 December – The Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act 2011 (ARENA Act) received royal assent

1. I-RAR – Regional Australia’s Renewables Industry Program, ASCI – Accelerated Step Change Initiative, CARRE – Regional Australia’s Renewables Community and Regional Program, SHARE – Supporting High-value Australian Renewable Energy Knowledge

2. ERP – Emerging Renewables Program, REVC – Renewable Energy Venture Capital, ABIR – Advanced Biofuels Investment Readiness, Gen 2 – Second Generation Biofuels Research Development Program, ACAP – Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaic, ASTRI – Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute