VIC On-Farm Energy and Electrification Demonstration (OFFED) Program

Up to $5 million available in total
Grants of $200,000 to $750,000 (excluding GST)
Applications close 11 December 2026

The On-Farm Energy and Electrification Demonstration Program funds industry-led projects that show how energy technologies work on real Victorian farms. It's run by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

The program aims to speed up the uptake of proven and new-to-market energy technologies across Victoria's agriculture sector. Projects demonstrate technologies on working farms and share the results, including costs, benefits and return on investment, so other farmers can adopt them with confidence.

Funded projects should improve energy efficiency, electrify farm operations, or support renewable energy and storage, while also delivering wider benefits such as lower emissions, higher productivity and better use of resources.

Key Requirements

Program objectives

Projects must meet all four objectives:

demonstrate proven but not yet widely adopted, or new-to-market, technologies that measurably improve on-farm energy efficiency and cut emissions
demonstrate practical solutions that other farms, industries and regions can scale up and adopt
generate and share real-world insights to support future investment
build industry confidence by sharing results, lessons learned and practical experience

Project requirements

Technologies must be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8 or above
Projects must be located in Victoria, at sites suitable for on-farm demonstrations
Every application must include a Knowledge Sharing Plan setting out how results will be shared with farmers and industry
Applications must nominate a Lead Organisation to endorse the application, confirm funding commitments and sign the funding agreement
Projects with partners need a Participating Organisation Agreement covering each partner’s role, data sharing and management of project assets
Any other government funding must be disclosed, and it can’t count towards the cash contribution

Caretaker period
The caretaker period starts at 6:00 pm on 3 November 2026, ahead of the Victorian election on 28 November 2026. The incoming government will decide whether to proceed with this grant round.

DEECA’s On-Farm Energy and Electrification Demonstration Program guidelines include the Knowledge Sharing Plan template and full eligibility details.

What is eligible for funding?

Projects must deliver at least one of these on-farm outcomes:

Improve energy efficiency: for example, heat recovery systems, heat pumps, variable speed drives and refrigeration
Electrify farm operations: replacing diesel or gas equipment with electric or hybrid options, such as irrigation, pumping, ventilation, processing or machinery
Reduce fuel, gas or energy use: through smart controls, sensors, drones, precision agriculture or process improvements
Generate renewable energy: such as solar integrated with farm operations, or bioenergy from farm waste
Store energy: such as battery or thermal storage

These are examples only. Other technologies can be proposed if they show industry demand and fit the program’s objectives.

Eligible costs include:

buying and installing assets for demonstration
staff and consultants directly delivering the project
electricity network and infrastructure upgrades needed for the project, up to 20% of the grant
marketing, communications and demonstration days
insurance for the life of the funding agreement
training, accreditation, licences and permits needed to run the technology

What companies are eligible for funding?

Applicants must be a legal entity with an ABN, be financially solvent, be registered for GST if required, and operate in Victoria. They must also be one of the following:

an agriculture industry association or business chamber representing primary producers
a Farming Systems or Landcare group
a Traditional Owner group, First Nations organisation or Aboriginal business involved in primary production
a Research and Development Corporation
a Catchment Management Authority
a partnership, consortium or co-operative of primary producers working with one of the above
a company with a proven or market-ready technology that partners with one of the above

Individual farming businesses (unless partnering with an eligible organisation), government agencies other than Catchment Management Authorities, local councils and individuals can’t apply.

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 a professional government grant writer consultant. Avant Group is Australia’s largest independent grants advisory firm. Because applications are scored as much on sharing results as on the technology itself, a well-planned demonstration and knowledge sharing strategy can set your project apart. Find out more about our government grant writing and consulting service here.

How can I get help understanding if I’m eligible for this grant? 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.

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