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1 November 2026

State clean energy funding compared: NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA

How NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia structure their clean energy support as at October 2026, which programs are current, who they suit and where to look next.

By Leigh Heaney, Watson Advisory

Federal programs get most of the attention, but state governments in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia each run their own clean energy support, and they go about it in very different ways. This guide compares how each state structures that support as at 22 October 2026, which programs we could confirm as current on official pages, who they suit and where to look for the next round.

Who this guide is for

  • Manufacturers, miners and other energy-intensive businesses looking for co-funding to cut emissions or energy costs.
  • Renewable energy, storage and transmission developers deciding where to invest.
  • Clean technology companies and installers working across more than one state.
  • Boards and executives who need a quick map of state support before a capital decision.

How states fund clean energy

State support generally comes in four forms, and each state leans on them differently:

  • Certificate schemes. Energy retailers must buy certificates created by approved upgrades, which funds discounts for businesses and households. NSW and Victoria both run large schemes of this kind.
  • Competitive grants. Time-limited rounds for industrial decarbonisation, clean technology or planning, usually covering up to 50% of costs or less.
  • Contracts and investment. Long-term contracts, tenders or equity-style investment for generation, storage and firming.
  • Household rebates and loans. Rebates for solar, batteries and hot water, often with conditions such as joining a virtual power plant.

New South Wales

NSW has the broadest mix: certificate schemes, industry grants and a legislated framework for long-term generation and storage contracts. Most programs are run by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW DCCEEW) and listed on energy.nsw.gov.au.

  • Energy Security Safeguard. Three schemes: the Energy Savings Scheme, the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) and the Renewable Fuel Scheme for green hydrogen. The PDRS now funds batteries for apartment buildings and businesses, virtual power plant sign-ups, air conditioners, refrigerated cabinets and pool pumps. Discounts are delivered through Accredited Certificate Providers accredited by IPART, the administrator.
  • Net Zero Industry and Innovation. Launched in March 2021 with more than $1 billion to support industry. Round 2 of the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative closed in August and September 2026. NSW invites businesses to sign up for 2026 funding opportunities, and applications for green hydrogen electricity concessions are open. (Watson Advisory can help you prepare your NSW concession application: admin@watsonadvisory.com.au)
  • Low Emissions Industry Program. $40 million for mining and manufacturing facilities that report under NGER but are not Safeguard facilities, with 50% co-funding up to $10 million for projects cutting at least 1,000 tonnes a year. Applications closed on 9 June 2026; outcomes are expected from 30 November 2026.
  • Net Zero Planning Grant (Round 2). Up to $25,000 covering up to 50% of the cost of net zero planning, open until 30 November 2026 at 5pm AEDT or until funds run out, assessed on a rolling basis. You must have an ABN and be registered for GST, have a NSW site and operations, and spend at least $200,000 a year on energy at a single NSW site or $500,000 across several. Safeguard facilities, government entities and businesses that must prepare a sustainability report as Group 1 reporting entities are excluded.
  • Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. The state’s 20-year plan under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020, aiming for at least 12 GW of new renewable generation and 2 GW of long-duration storage. AusEnergy Services Limited (ASL, formerly AEMO Services), as the NSW Consumer Trustee, runs competitive tenders for Long-Term Energy Service Agreements and Renewable Energy Zone access rights. NSW says it has signed up projects for more than 75% of the 12 GW and enough to meet its 2030 and 2034 long-duration storage objectives. ASL expects Tender Round 10, for an indicative 2.5 GW of generation, to open for bids in November or December 2026.

Suits: NGER-reporting manufacturers and miners below the Safeguard threshold, businesses wanting equipment discounts, battery and VPP providers, and grid-scale developers.

Victoria

Of the Victorian programs we could confirm, most support comes through legislated targets, a certificate scheme and household rebates rather than industry grant rounds. Programs are run by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Solar Victoria and the Essential Services Commission.

  • Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU). Administered by the Essential Services Commission. Businesses get upfront discounts on approved upgrades through accredited providers, or by using their own tradesperson partnered with one. DEECA says small businesses can save up to $500 a year and larger businesses up to $74,000. Some large energy users are exempt and cannot participate unless they opt in.
  • Solar Homes Program. Solar PV rebates with an optional interest-free loan, and hot water rebates of up to $1,000 (up to $1,400 for locally made products). Solar Victoria is no longer taking applications for interest-free battery loans.
  • Renewable energy and storage targets. Legislated targets of 65% renewable electricity by 2030 and 95% by 2035, offshore wind of at least 2 GW by 2032, 4 GW by 2035 and 9 GW by 2040, and energy storage of at least 2.6 GW by 2030 and 6.3 GW by 2035. These targets drive the state’s procurement for generation and storage.
  • Grants. DEECA lists energy grants on energy.vic.gov.au, including the Hume Hydrogen Highway, which Victoria and NSW are each funding with $10 million. Check the Open grants tab on that page for current rounds.

Suits: businesses replacing equipment or electrifying, households and landlords, and developers of large-scale renewables, storage and offshore wind.

Watch: Victorians vote in a state election on Saturday 28 November 2026. The caretaker period runs from 6pm on Tuesday 3 November 2026, unless the Legislative Assembly is dissolved earlier, until the result is clear or a new government is commissioned. Government avoids major policy decisions likely to commit an incoming government and major contracts during that time, so expect few new funding commitments before the result, and possible policy changes afterwards.

Queensland

Queensland’s approach changed after the change of government. On 10 October 2025 the Crisafulli Government released its Energy Roadmap, which replaced the former government’s Energy and Jobs Plan and abolished the plan to close state-owned coal units by 2035. Energy sits with Queensland Treasury, and the Treasurer is also Minister for Energy.

  • Queensland Energy Investment Fund. $400 million managed by Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) to take energy supply and firming projects from origination to operations, inviting collaboration from the private sector and government-owned corporations. (We can help you plan your approach to QIC: admin@watsonadvisory.com.au)
  • QIC Investor Gateway. A mandate for QIC to attract private capital, match investors with the needs of state-owned energy businesses, and develop blended finance.
  • Other Roadmap measures. A $1.8 billion Electricity Maintenance Guarantee for existing assets, a tender for 400 MW of new gas-fired generation in Central Queensland, $10 million for community-level batteries, Regional Energy Hubs, and a code of conduct for renewable energy developers.

The Roadmap estimates up to 0.6 GW of gas-fired generation, up to 6.8 GW of wind and large-scale solar and up to 3.8 GW of storage operating in Queensland by 2030, with private investment playing the lead role. We could not confirm an open, general clean energy grant round for Queensland businesses. We could not find a public intake or expression of interest process for the Queensland Energy Investment Fund on Queensland Treasury’s or QIC’s pages, so approach QIC directly.

Suits: generation, storage and firming developers seeking a partner or co-investor, rather than businesses looking for grants.

Western Australia

WA runs its own electricity systems outside the National Electricity Market, and its support reflects that: transmission build-out, regional transition funds and targeted innovation grants. Energy Policy WA leads on energy policy.

  • Clean Energy Future Fund. Administered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation with Energy Policy WA, now $37 million in total. Round 4 offered about $9 million in grants of $100,000 to $4 million, covering no more than 25% of eligible project costs. It closed on 20 April 2026, with outcomes expected in late 2026.
  • Collie Industrial Transition Fund. $230 million, part of the $547.4 million Collie Transition Package, to attract large-scale industrial projects to Collie. Projects should be worth at least $4 million and need a secured cash co-contribution of at least $1 for every $1 of funding. Interested companies contact the Collie Delivery Unit. (Watson Advisory can help you prepare for discussions with the Collie Delivery Unit: admin@watsonadvisory.com.au) The Government allocated $134 million of the fund in October 2024 to activate Collie’s Coolangatta Industrial Estate. The fund’s page does not state a remaining balance, so ask the Collie Delivery Unit what is still available.
  • Clean Energy Fund. Announced in April 2026 and established in the 2026-27 State Budget with $1.4 billion, to support projects such as the Clean Energy Link – East expansion of the South West Interconnected System. Budget Paper No. 3 says the initial $1.4 billion is provisioned for future Clean Energy Link – East transmission projects, and its estimates show no payments from the fund to 2029-30.
  • WA Residential Battery Scheme. Rebates of up to $1,300 (Synergy customers) or $3,800 (Horizon Power customers), and no-interest loans of up to $10,000 for eligible households, conditional on joining a virtual power plant.

Suits: innovative projects off or at the edge of the main grids, large industrial investors willing to locate in Collie, and battery retailers and households.

Eligibility: matching your project to a state

  • Industrial facility below the Safeguard threshold: NSW has the deepest pipeline of industry grants (watch for the next Low Emissions Industry or Net Zero Industry round).
  • Safeguard facility: several state programs exclude you, so federal programs such as the Powering the Regions Fund are usually the starting point.
  • Equipment upgrades and electrification: certificate schemes in NSW (Energy Savings Scheme, PDRS) and Victoria (VEU).
  • Grid-scale generation and storage: NSW Roadmap tenders, Victoria’s target-driven procurement, Queensland’s QIC-managed fund and WA’s transmission investment.
  • Early-stage clean technology: NSW clean technology grants and WA’s Clean Energy Future Fund, both between rounds at the time of writing.

Step-by-step: finding and winning state support

  1. Define the project first. Location, emissions scope, technology readiness, cost and timing determine which programs you can use.
  2. Check federal and state options together. Some federal programs cap or exclude other government funding, so map both before choosing.
  3. Register for updates. NSW, WA and others run sign-up lists for future rounds. Many rounds open and close within a few months.
  4. For certificate schemes, choose an accredited provider. In NSW that means an IPART Accredited Certificate Provider; in Victoria a VEU accredited provider.
  5. For grants, read the guidelines and prepare early. Have emissions data, quotes, board approval and co-funding evidence ready before a round opens.
  6. For investment-style support, approach the manager directly. In Queensland that is QIC; for WA’s Collie fund it is the Collie Delivery Unit.
  7. Brief government early and properly. Meet officials and ministers’ offices before rounds open, and use a registered lobbyist where the relevant federal or state lobbying rules require it. (We can help you plan briefings for officials and ministers’ offices: admin@watsonadvisory.com.au)

Timelines to watch

  • 28 November 2026: Victorian state election.
  • 30 November 2026: NSW Net Zero Planning Grant Round 2 closes (5pm AEDT), unless funds run out sooner. NSW Low Emissions Industry Program outcomes are expected from the same date.
  • Late 2026: WA Clean Energy Future Fund Round 4 outcomes expected.
  • Early 2027: NSW clean technology innovation grant outcomes (grants of $500,000 to $5 million from a pool of up to $25 million; applications closed 8 September 2026).

Common mistakes

  • Assuming programs carry over between states. A battery incentive in NSW or WA has no equivalent in Victoria, and Queensland’s main vehicle is investment, not grants.
  • Relying on old program pages. Programs close, change and are rebranded often, especially after a change of government. Check the “last updated” date and status on the official page.
  • Ignoring exclusions. Several NSW programs exclude Safeguard facilities and oil and gas facilities.
  • Underestimating co-funding. WA’s Clean Energy Future Fund covers no more than 25% of costs, and the Collie fund needs at least dollar-for-dollar cash.
  • Starting too late. Rounds such as the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative open for a matter of weeks. Projects that are ready when a round opens do best.

FAQ

Which state offers the most clean energy funding?

It depends on the project. NSW has the widest range of grants and certificate schemes. Victoria relies more on targets and its VEU scheme. Queensland’s main tool is a QIC-managed investment fund. WA focuses on transmission, regional transition and targeted grants.

Can I combine state and federal funding?

Often, but not always. Each program sets its own rules on other government funding. For example, the federal Safeguard Transformation Stream limits state and local government funding to 40% of the applicant’s co-contribution.

Is there a Queensland clean energy grant for businesses?

We could not confirm an open general grant round on official pages as at 22 October 2026. Queensland’s Energy Roadmap directs support through the $400 million Queensland Energy Investment Fund, managed by QIC.

Will the Victorian election change programs?

It may. The election is on 28 November 2026. Programs backed by legislation, such as the renewable energy and storage targets and the VEU scheme, are harder to change quickly than discretionary grants.

Where do I find NSW funding rounds?

On energy.nsw.gov.au under business and industry programs, and the NSW Government grants pages. NSW DCCEEW also runs an email sign-up for future funding opportunities.

How Watson Advisory can help

We track state programs and policy changes across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA, help clients choose the right mix of state and federal support, and engage with departments and ministers’ offices in line with federal and state lobbying rules. Watson Advisory is on the NSW Lobbyist Register. Contact us at admin@watsonadvisory.com.au.

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About the author: Leigh Heaney is a Partner at Watson Advisory, specialising in government relations and public affairs. Leigh spent more than a decade as chief of staff to a senior federal frontbencher in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Before joining Watson Advisory, Leigh was Government Relations director at Australia’s renewable energy peak body, working on the Capacity Investment Scheme and the production tax credits in the Future Made in Australia package.

This guide is general information only, current as at 22 October 2026. It is not legal, financial or tax advice. Program guidelines, eligibility and funding rounds change often, so check the official guidelines before applying, or contact Watson Advisory for advice on your circumstances.

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