Moncrieff Media

Eco-friendly manufacturing grants programme now open

10 October 2008

Federal Member for Moncrieff Steven Ciobo is encouraging Gold Coast manufacturers to apply for funding through the Re-tooling for Climate Change grants programme.

Re-tooling for Climate Change will offer small and medium sized manufacturers’ grants between $10,000 and $500,000 to help reduce their carbon footprint.

“Gold Coast manufacturers should take advantage of this opportunity to seek federal funding to help the environment by improving their water and energy efficiency of their production processes,” Mr Ciobo said.

“This is a realistic way local businesses can reduce their carbon emissions and also reduce their operating costs.”

Examples of eligible projects could include:

·         investing in small-scale cogeneration plants that capture waste energy and use it to produce electricity on site;

·         stormwater capture and improving water recycling for re-use in the manufacturing process;

·         improving insulation and recovering waste heat to improve manufacturing process efficiency;

·         process re-engineering involving the adoption of energy efficient manufacturing tools that reduce substantially the energy used in the production process.

“The previous Coalition Government had a proud record of working with industry to improve the environment and I’m very pleased to see support in this area continue,” Mr Ciobo said.

“I encourage all local manufacturers to apply for funding through this programme and help keep our environment clean.”

For information about applying for the Re-tooling for Climate Change programme, visit AusIndustry’s website at www.ausindustry.gov.au or call the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46.