• City of Sydney Opened Green Building Grants
• Proposed Minimum Feed-In Tariff for Victoria
• VEU Minimum Customer Contribution Implemented 
• VEU Large-Energy Users Consultation Pushed Back

City of Sydney – Green Building Grants.

The City of Sydney has opened applications for grants of up to $15,000 per site to drive existing buildings to be resource-efficient and achieve net zero emissions. Applicants can apply for a NABERS Rating, Energy Assessment and Energy Audit via Ecovantage or NSW government website. Existing high-density residential buildings located in the City of Sydney are eligible, including residential apartment buildings, hotels and serviced apartments.

Proposed Minimum Feed-In Tariff for Victoria.

In Victoria the Essential Services Commission (ESC) has released its draft decision to significantly reduce the proposed minimum solar feed-in tariff from the current 3 cents per kWh to a meagre 0.04 c/kWh. This sharp downward trend has been observed for several years and the implications for energy users and the energy efficiency industry are significant; it will encourage businesses and households to shift their loads to solar production hours and helps further build the case for installing batteries to store excess energy so it can be used when the sun isn’t shining. 

VEU Minimum Customer Contribution Implemented.

In a positive move for program integrity effective February 1, and similar to the requirements under the NSW and SA state schemes, minimum customer co-payments will now apply to air-conditioning, water heating and cool room activities under the program. This lends toward ensuring customers are making an informed decision when progressing with the installation of a new or replacement system. The applicable co-payments (ex GST) are: 

Space heating and cooling: 

• $200 per unit for non-ducted reverse cycle air conditioners (RCACs) <10 kW
• $1,000 per unit for all non-ducted RCACs >10 kW
• $1,000 per unit for all multi-split & ducted RCACs

Water heating:

• $200 per system

Cold rooms: 

• $500 per cold room

VEU Large-Energy Users Exemption Consultation Pushed Back.

This week the Department removed the Large-energy users exemption consultation from the 2025 schedule. This consultation has been anticipated for over three years, and would see a change to the way exempt facilities are treated under the program.

At Ecovantage, we consistently analyse market activity, policy changes, consultation releases, and creation rates in conjunction with wider landscape activity. This allows us to keep our clients at the forefront of all relevant changes, and to leverage the advantage that this presents. Thank you for your continued support, and please reach out if you have any general or project-specific questions.