Grants of up to $25,000 for energy saving projects are up for grabs for small and medium hotels to help them lower their power bills.
Federal member for Hume Angus Taylor, pictured, whose electorate includes a substantial part of the Macarthur region, says hotels, motels and serviced apartment complexes with up to 99 rooms will be able to access grants of up to $25,000 for energy-saving projects.
Mr Taylor, who is also the Morrison Government’s energy and emissions reduction minister, says there will be at least 400 grants on offer as part of the $10.2 million hotel energy uplift program.
“This will reduce energy costs for hotel operators and support the creation of local jobs, including for electricians, carpenters, engineers, and plumbers,’’ Mr Tayor said.
The launch of the grants comes at an important time, as the tourism and accommodation sector looks to get back on its feet.
“The hotel industry has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“With 80 per cent of small to medium hotels located in regional Australia, these grants will provide a significant boost to our regions.
“The upgrade projects will provide genuine and lasting energy savings, and will have a positive flow-on effect for jobs and small businesses.”
The grants would help hotels to reduce their energy bills through upgrades on things like air conditioning or refrigeration, installing energy efficient lighting or investing in monitoring systems to better manage their energy use.
“Energy costs are one of the biggest overheads for publicans and hotel owners and these grants will reduce these operating costs and help them reinvest in their business during this critical time,” Mr Taylor said.
The hotel energy uplift program was announced in the 2020-21 Budget as part of the government’s $1.9 billion investment in new energy technologies which will back jobs now and into the future, reduce emissions and ensure access to reliable and affordable energy.
Applications open today, February 24 and will close on April 1 – or earlier, if funding is exhausted.
To view the program guidelines, visit business.gov.au
