A NSW Government website

About our clean technology innovation community

Fast tracking to zero and a clean energy future

Clean technology innovation is one of the 3 focus areas within the Net Zero Industry and Innovation Program. With more than $1 billion to support the 3 areas, we are partnering with industry and are committed to transforming NSW into an innovative, thriving low carbon economy. By embracing the benefits of a net zero future, we are doing what’s right for the environment and right for our communities. 

The NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer’s Decarbonisation Innovation Study guides our clean technology innovation priority areas and grants.

The Study is a key part in the delivering the Net Zero Plan and provides advice on the challenges and opportunities for meeting our emissions targets and adapting to climate change. The Study also aims to examine the benefits of decarbonisation to generate economic development, prosperity and jobs growth in NSW.

Our priority areas include, but are not limited to:

SECTOR2023 Decarbonisation innovation opportunity

ENERGY 

Energy Infographic
  • Future energy systems (including smart grids)
  • New generation renewable and storage (solar PV, battery, wind and offshore wind)

TRANSPORT

EV infographic
  • e-mobility and services
  • Aviation, shipping and long-haul road transport
  • Non-road vehicle and machinery

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Building infographic
  • Embodied carbon for building

INDUSTRY

Factory infographic
  • Synthetic biology and bio manufacturing
  • Power-to-X
  • Carbon dioxide removal (including direct air capture)

LAND AND AGRICULTURE

Agriculture infographic
  • Sustainable land management (including enteric emissions and blue carbon)
  • Agtech and decarbonisation

Round 1 funded projects

In 2023, we awarded $15.9 million to 12 successful projects – turbocharging the research, development and commercialisation of their technologies.

Our support attracted a further $26 million of private investment to the projects. Of these projects, 50% are based in regional NSW.

Grant streams

Research, development and commercialisation infrastructure

Supporting the development of commercially viable technologies and services to reduce emissions in high emitting or hard-to-abate industries.

Recipient

Funding awarded

Location

Project summary

CSIRO

$3,748,680

Mayfield West

Establish cloud-based digital software infrastructure to help industry and businesses get the most of their on-site renewable energy.

University of Wollongong 

$1,100,000

Wollongong

A Clean Energy Living Laboratory to demonstrate how microgrid technologies can ensure reliable and stable energy at large-scale businesses who have a mix of energy sources – such as EV charging, gas, solar panels and storage.


 
Commercialisation

Accelerating the commercialisation and scaling-up of proven clean technology innovations for trade in Australian and international markets.

Recipient

Funding awarded

Location

Project summary

Hysata

$1,500,000

Port Kembla

A water electrolyser pilot to demonstrate how the ultra-high efficiency technology can lower the cost of green hydrogen as a renewable fuel source.

Rux Energy

$1, 833,651

Sydney

A new innovative method of storing hydrogen in metal organic frameworks to provide industrial users with a lower cost of supply and storage.

Loam Bio

$925,000

Orange

To design and build a commercial scale production facility for Loam Bio’s microbial seed coating that gives cropping plants the ability to stabilise and store carbon in soils.

Enosi Australia

$1,000,000

Sydney

Extend Enosi’s Powertracer energy traceability platform capabilities to meet global requirements and achieve initial international commercialisation.

Gridcognition

$498,068

Sydney

A new software solution to help energy retailers balance supply and demand to provide more reliable energy for consumers at a lower cost.


 
 
Ecosystem

Supporting incubators, pre-accelerators, accelerators, and other similar initiatives, to equip clean technology start-ups and researchers with the skills and resources they need to succeed.

Recipient

Funding awarded

Location

Project summary

SparkLabs

$1,254,000

Orange

A program to commercialise research-based projects and secure funding in clean agriculture and food technologies.

EnergyLab

$931,400

Sydney

Expand EnergyLab’s existing offerings to provide additional support for very early stages of growth for startups, including going international.

Climate Salad

$600,000

Sydney

Scale up existing offerings and ecosystem building, specifically to fast-track a 9-month Global Growth Program.

Investible Greenhouse

$745,330

Sydney

Develop the Innosabi clean technology innovation platform that will host challenges to crowdsource new ways to reduce emissions – such as how to solve the need for sustainable building materials.

The Melt

$1,785,000

Muswellbrook

Establish a Cleantech Pre-Accelerator and Accelerator to generate a pipeline of net zero hardware technologies.


 
 

Round 2 grants

Applications are now closed for round 2 grants, under the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.

Innovative product being prepared for market, abstract cartoon

 

We are also exploring opportunities to:

  • develop low emissions specifications to support the take up of emerging low carbon goods and services across NSW
  • attract investment to the NSW clean technology sector. This includes helping you unlock other funding that exists across the government.  

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected].

We are also investing $40 million in the research and development (R&D) of commercially viable technologies, services, or processes. These are technologies that have the potential to significantly reduce emissions of high emitting or hard-to-abate sectors within the NSW economy. This initiative is funded and administered by the NSW Environmental Trust.

Applications for this grant have closed.

Solar panel manufacturing