Sustainability Victoria is calling for applications to the Boosting Productivity energy assessment grants program for small and medium sized businesses.

Grants will be offered to businesses with less than 200 full time employees, spending over $20,000 a year on energy, to enable them to carry out an energy assessment, and identify and implement energy improvements.

Funding is available to cover 50% of the cost of an energy assessment at two levels:

• A basic energy assessment which provides up to $2000 towards the cost of an assessment. This is recommended for businesses spending between $20,000 and $50,000 on energy per annum
• A detailed energy assessment which provides up to $6000 the assessment. This is recommended for businesses spending more than $50,000 on energy per annum.

A $3000 implementation bonus is available to both grant types to carry out one or more assessment recommendation, which will result in a reduction in energy (GJ) at the business site.

Potential benefits

An energy assessment can provide expert and tailored advice on how a business can cut energy costs and unlock a range of co-benefits, such as improved productivity.

Energy assessments at more than 100 sites found there is potential for businesses to save, on average, more than $50,000 per annum on energy bills alone, with an average payback of just over 3 years. When factoring the co-benefits of energy efficiency, the savings can be multiplied and payback times reduced. For manufacturing businesses, even greater savings are possible.

Boosting Productivity is a $3 million Victorian Government grants program comprised of:

• Energy assessment grants for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Industry capability grants to help industry associations and business networks develop energy efficiency knowledge and skills (capabilities) in SMEs.

Applications close 28 September 2018, unless funds are fully allocated before this date.

For more information please see http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/services-and-advice/business/energy-and-materials-efficiency-for-business/boosting-productivity/energy-assessment-grants.

Firstly let's start with the basics. Energy management is simply a program of well planned actions aimed at reducing an organisation's energy consumption and demand and therefore reduce costs and the associated Carbon emitted (ie greenhouse gas emissions).

This program will also provide improvements in operational efficiency, such as increasing the comfort (wellness) for occupants or increasing production.

To gain high levels of energy efficiency we must:

1. avoid wasteful energy use (if the system is not required – switch it off)
2. reduce the energy consumption (and energy demand) of systems (in essence by introducing a more efficient system).

Read more: Top Tips for Enery Efficiency