LCPM Project Development Stream

To be eligible for funding, the lead applicant must: 

• hold or be willing to obtain an Australian Business Number (ABN) prior to entering into a funding agreement 
• be or will become an entity type listed below prior to entering into a funding agreement:  
  • a company incorporated in Australia 
  • a company limited by guarantee 
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust 
  • an incorporated association or co-operative an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006. 
• hold or acquire all insurances required by law including $10 million public liability insurance and current workers compensation policy, prior to entering into a funding agreement 
• not be subject to any insolvency event including the subject of an order or resolution for winding up or dissolution (other than for the purposes of reconstruction or amalgamation) or the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, administer or similar 
• not be listed on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) sanctions list 
• disclose any legal proceedings or investigations that would adversely and materially affect the execution or outcomes of the project and/or that may adversely impact the reputation of the NSW Government 
• disclose all Australian Government and/or Australian state, territory grants applied for in relation to the project including a history of grant funding over the last 5 years (including both successful and unsuccessful applications) 
• materially comply with all
  • obligations under employment contracts, industrial agreements and awards 
  • codes of conduct and practice relevant to conditions of service and to the relations between the applicants and the employees employed by the applicant 
  • applicable Workplace Health and Safety legislation. 

Joint applications 

Joint applications are permitted provided the lead applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria. The lead applicant must enter into the funding agreement and will be held ultimately responsible for the delivery of the project. The lead applicant must complete the application form and identify all other joint applicants in the application. The lead applicant must also include a letter of support from each organisation involved in the application. Each letter of support should include: 

• details of the joint applicant 
• an overview of how the joint applicant will work with the lead applicant and any other joint applicants (if applicable) to successfully complete the project 
• an outline of the relevant experience and/or expertise the partner organisation will bring to the project 
• the roles and responsibilities of the joint applicant and the resources they will contribute (if applicable) 
• the amount and source of any financial contribution to the project (if applicable) 
• endorsement by an executive of each joint applicant committing to participation in the proposed project 
• details of a nominated contact (management level). 

Signed formal agreements between all joint applicants will be required prior to executing the funding agreement.  

Manufacturing industries

To be eligible for funding, the lead applicant must confirm the following:

• the project will help reach a financial investment decision (FID) to build a commercial scale manufacturing facility for low carbon products in NSW. The products include: 
  • building materials 
    • cement 
    • steel 
    • aluminium 
    • cross laminated timber
  • ‘green’ chemicals  
    • ammonia
    • methanol 
  • biofuels derived from biomass (plant or algae material, or animal waste) 
  • power fuels produced with renewable energy  
    • hydrogen  
    • fuels derived from hydrogen
  • inputs needed for agricultural production (such as fertilisers, animal feeds, etc.) 
• the proposed low carbon product must have demonstrably lower lifetime emissions (CO2e) verses equivalent conventional products that are currently dominant in the market. 
• the project fits one of the following four categories:   
  • Front-end engineering design (FEED) study  
  • Product carbon footprint assessment 
  • Product compliance and certification study to scale manufacturing 
  • Manufacturing facility development approval
• the project would not occur at all or in the same timeframe without government support 
• the project will be completed within 18 months of the funding agreement execution 
• the applicant will provide a minimum cash contribution of at least 50% of the total project cost from non-NSW Government sources (for example applicant, collaborators, private or other public organisations). In-kind (non-financial) contributions are not counted towards a contribution of 50% of the total project costs. 

The expected project outcome is a completed project development actitivity that will lead to a financial investment decision for establishment of a commercial scale low carbon product manufacturing facility.

 Eligible costs should be directly related to the delivery of the project and include:   

• costs of contractors or consultants to manage the project or deliver specific components of the project.  
• expenditure to employ project staff critical to delivery of the project is eligible. You cannot use funds to cover the labour costs of existing positions undertaking other work within your organisation.   
• administration costs directly related to the project (up to 10% of project cost). 

Ineligible applicants include:

• Australian or NSW Government agencies, state owned corporations or statutory authorities
• local government authorities or their Section 355 committees
• organisations that do not have an ABN and are unable to obtain an ABN to enter a funding agreement
• unincorporated associations
• other unincorporated organisations 
• an individual (including sole traders)
• partnerships without nominating a lead applicant 
• insolvent businesses.

The following costs are ineligible: 

• any costs associated with projects other than those outlined in eligible projects 
• any costs related to existing casual, part-time or full-time employee of the lead applicant or joint applicant partners 
• any government fees such as development application fees  
• any sales, marketing or promotional activities  
• any license fees such as engineering software 
• costs incurred prior to both parties signing the funding agreement.  

The following projects are ineligible for funding: 

• market studies   
• feasibility studies  
• business cases 
• projects that have already received NSW Government funding for the same outputs and outcomes.   

Example 1: A front end engineering design (FEED) study for the establishment of a commercial-scale green cement manufacturing facility in NSW. The applicant seeks to use commercialised technology involving use of binding calcium silicate geopolymers to substitute portland cement, which will help sequester CO2e through reabsorption during the curing process. 

Example 2: Preparation of an environmental impact assessment to secure development approval for establishing a commercial scale green ammonia production facility in NSW. Based on the feasibility study and ongoing FEED, the facility will be powered by a 50 megawatt (MW) solar farm generating 73 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity annually. This energy will be used to power an electrolysis process using a hydrogen electrolyser which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen will be used to produce green ammonia.

The lead applicant must provide a minimum cash contribution of at least 50% of the total project cost from non-NSW Government sources (for example applicant, collaborators, private or other public organisations). In-kind (non-financial) contributions are not counted towards a contribution of 50% of the total project costs.