SA Powering Business Grants

SA Powering Business Grants Round 3

  • Applications will open August 18th, 2025 
  • Offering grants between $2,500-$75,000, with a 50% co-contribution required
  • SMEs, including not-for-profit organisations, may be eligible
  • Applications will close October 31st, 2025.

If you’re an eligible small or medium business or not-for-profit, you can apply for a Powering Business Grant to help you upgrade to more energy efficient systems to save on your energy bills. Grants range from $2,500 to $75,000.

Key Requirements

Grants will be available under two funding streams:

 Stream 1 – Solar and Battery Projects

Solar and battery systems reduce energy costs to businesses and increase energy independence. By generating and storing your own electricity, you can lower or abolish electricity expenses, especially during peak hours. Solar and battery systems may reduce dependence on the grid and improve business reliability.

Stream 2 – Energy Efficiency Projects

An energy efficiency project aims to reduce energy consumption, reduce your energy costs and minimise environmental impact resulting from your business activities.

What is eligible for funding?

Eligible project costs are dependent on funding stream:

Stream 1 – Solar and Battery Projects

To qualify for assistance under this stream, your purchase(s) must be from the following list:

  • Install battery storage systems for renewable energy (includes inverter and battery management service)
  • Install solar panels with accompanying battery storage (i.e. solar panels and inverters are only eligible when purchased with accompanying battery storage)

Stream 2 – Energy Efficiency Projects

To qualify for assistance under this stream, your purchase(s) must be from the following categories:

Power management and support

  • Install control equipment for energy efficiency
  • Install micro wind turbines (if location permits)
  • Replace or expand switchboards or electricity distribution to facilitate electrification of equipment
  • Install voltage optimisation devices

Lighting and electrical

  • Install automatic lighting control equipment
  • Replace non-LED lighting with LED variants
  • Install occupancy sensors/motion sensors for lighting
  • Install smart power strips

Energy efficient appliances – 4-star rating or better / higher efficiency than existing equipment

  • Replace air conditioners
  • Replace clothes dryers and clothes washers
  • Replace dishwashers
  • Replace refrigerators and freezers
  • Replace pool pumps
  • Replace commercial ovens and commercial grade cooking / baking appliances

Heating, cooling and refrigeration with higher efficiency technology / units

  • Replace boilers
  • Replace HVAC equipment and systems including air conditioning units, chillers, compressor and condensers, with higher efficiency units or components
  • Replace extraction systems (e.g. heat, dust extraction)
  • Install HVAC system controls e.g. programmable thermostat
  • Replace existing fossil fuel or inefficient electric powered equipment for heating, drying or cooling with a heat pump system equivalent
  • Install heat recovery processes
  • Replace refrigeration unit or freezer, including walk-in refrigerator/cool room, refrigerated display case, refrigerated vending machine, with a new high efficiency unit
  • Install refrigeration system controls
  • Upgrade insulation for refrigeration systems
  • Upgrade insulation on a cool room or upgrade a cool room to be airtight
  • Install night blinds, glass doors/lids and/or rapid close doors on refrigerated spaces

Water heating

  • Replace an existing hot water system with a more efficient new heat pump or solar thermal hot water heater
  • Replace an existing pool heater with a new heat pump or solar thermal pool heating system
  • Install insulation for hot water systems

Motors, pumps, fans and compressors

  • Replace a motor with a higher efficiency motor, or a lower power motor that is better matched to its duty point
  • Replace a pump, fan or compressor with a more energy efficient equivalent
  • Optimise compressed air storage
  • Install variable speed drive units for existing motors, pumps, fans and compressors

Building upgrades

  • Upgrade building sealing e.g. Install draught proofing, weather stripping or airtight seals
  • Install external shading to protect windows against sunlight
  • Install or upgrade to heavyweight or insulating window blinds (where lightweight or no coverings were previously installed)
  • Install or upgrade insulation in roofs, ceiling or walls
  • Replace or upgrade existing windows and doors energy efficient variants (e.g. double/triple glazed)

Process automation, controls and optimisation

  • Install automated energy monitoring and management software
  • Install Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS)
  • Install sensors, meters, and automation equipment for process optimisation
  • Install smart building technology (Internet of Things (IoT) devices for energy management)
  • Reconfigure systems for energy reduction in heating, cooling, compressed air

Other unique projects/equipment

  • Other projects or equipment not listed above will be considered if the project:
  • exceeds $20,000 in total project/equipment value (excluding GST); and
  • will improve energy efficiency and lead to an ongoing reduction in energy usage/consumption and costs.

What companies are eligible for funding?

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Hold a valid and active Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • Be a current electricity customer that is connected to the network
  • Be a small or medium South Australian Entity (including both businesses and not-for-profit organisations)
  • Have an Australia-wide grouped payroll not greater than $18 million in the financial year 2024-25
  • Have annual business turnover of $75,000 or more in the financial year 2024-25
  • Be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the time this funding round commenced (29 July 2025) [note: not-for-profit organisations with annual business turnover between $75,000 and $149,999.99 are able to apply if not registered for GST]
  • Not be a home-based business (i.e. operating primarily from the owner’s, or an employee’s residence); unless a separately metered bill can be provided for the business entity (i.e. must have a separate NMI to the residential property)
  • Not be an excluded entity
  • Own or lease the business premises where any work or goods will be installed or used
  • Be able to provide matched funding of at least 50 per cent of eligible out-of-pocket costs.

If your business received a grant offer under Round 2 of the Business Growth Fund, you can apply for assistance under Round 3 for new projects or activities, or extensions of projects approved under Round 2.

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.