ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM

1 ADVANCING . RENEWABLES PROGRAM . PROGRAM GUIDELINES. JULY 2020. TABLE OF CONTENTS. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4. ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM 4. OVERVIEW 5. PURPOSE 5. OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM 5. COMMENCEMENT AND AUTHORITY FOR GUIDELINES 5. PROGRAM FUNDING 5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION A ELIGIBLE APPLICANT 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION B ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION C TAKE PLACE IN AUSTRALIA 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION D KNOWLEDGE SHARING 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION E INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION F COMPLY WITH OTHER REQUIREMENTS 6. MERIT CRITERIA 7. MERIT CRITERION A CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROGRAM OUTCOMES 7. MERIT CRITERION B APPLICANT CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY 7. MERIT CRITERION C ACTIVITY DESIGN, METHODOLOGY, RISK AND COMPLIANCE 8.

2 MERIT CRITERION D FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND CO-FUNDING COMMITMENT 8. MERIT CRITERION E KNOWLEDGE SHARING 8. APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS 9. EXPRESSIONS OF interest 10. FULL APPLICATION 10. HOW DO I SUBMIT A PROPOSAL? 11. HOW WILL MY PROPOSAL BE ASSESSED? 11. COLLABORATION AND WORKING UP PROPOSALS 11. PORTFOLIO APPROACH 12. RESUBMITTING REVISED PROPOSALS 12. COMPETITIVE PROCESS 12. ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM PROGRAM Guidelines 2. FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS 13. NEGOTIATION OFFERS 13. FUNDING AGREEMENT 13. WHAT CAN I USE ARENA FUNDING FOR? 13. HOW DOES ARENA SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND PUBLISH ACTIVITY INFORMATION? 13. WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY 13. OTHER APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS 13. FURTHER PROGRAM INFORMATION 14. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION 14.

3 REVIEW OF DECISIONS AND COMPLAINTS 14. CONFLICTS OF interest 14. ARENA'S DISCRETION 14. NO CONTRACT OR LIABILITY 14. APPENDIX A TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVELS 15. COMMERCIAL READINESS INDEX 17. APPENDIX B ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE GUIDELINES 18. GENERAL PRINCIPLES 18. SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS 19. LABOUR 19. CONTRACT EXPENDITURE 19. EXPENDITURE PRIOR TO EXECUTION OF THE FUNDING ARRANGEMENT 20. OVERSEAS EXPENDITURE 20. ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS 20. GLOSSARY 21. ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM PROGRAM Guidelines 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM (c) At both stages: Proposals must meet eligibility criteria (see Part (a) The ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM (the PROGRAM ) 2), and only those Proposals that do so will be is delivered by the Australian Renewable Energy further assessed Agency (ARENA).

4 Eligible Proposals will be assessed against merit (b) The total funding allocated for the PROGRAM is up criteria (see Part 3). to the total amount of funds uncommitted and available under s64 of the Australian Renewable (d) The PROGRAM Guidelines describe the procedures Energy Act 2011 (as amended) (the ARENA Act). and requirements used by ARENA to determine which Proposals will receive funding. You should The application and assessment process typically take note of these procedures and requirements consist of two stages: an expression of interest before making a Proposal. (EOI) stage and a Full Application stage. Both stages involve an assessment against all eligibility (e) All Proposals must be completed online using and merit criteria.

5 ARENA's Grants Management System, ARENANet, which is accessible from the PROGRAM webpage on ARENA's website ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM PROGRAM Guidelines 4. OVERVIEW. PURPOSE COMMENCEMENT AND AUTHORITY. FOR GUIDELINES. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). was established by the Australian Government on The Guidelines have been approved by the 1 July 2012 under the Australian Renewable Energy ARENA Board and Minister. Agency Act 2011 (as amended) (ARENA Act) with a remit to improve the competitiveness and increase The Guidelines may be revoked or varied from the supply of renewable energy in Australia. time to time, in accordance with section 24 (1)(b). of the ARENA Act. The purpose of these PROGRAM Guidelines (the Guidelines) is to provide a framework for the (a) This version includes minor variations approved operation of the ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM by the Minister in June 2020 and takes effect (the PROGRAM ).

6 For Proposals submitted from 1 August 2020. (b) This version includes changes to section These Guidelines contain important information to reflect an increase to the PROGRAM 's funding for Applicants on eligibility and merit criteria and envelope. the application and assessment process under the PROGRAM . (c) This version includes minor variations approved by the Minister for Energy and Emissions The Guidelines should be read in conjunction with Reduction in November 2020 and takes effect the ARENA Investment Plan and any Funding for Proposals submitted from 14 December 2020. Announcements published on ARENA's website The ARENA Board is responsible for approving financial assistance under the PROGRAM and for ARENA entering into contracts to do so.

7 OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES. OF THE PROGRAM The ARENA Board may delegate responsibility for the PROGRAM in accordance with the The PROGRAM Objective is to fund Activities ARENA Act. that contribute to one or more of the following PROGRAM Outcomes: PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) reduction in the cost of renewable energy (b) increase in the value delivered by The total funding allocated by ARENA to the renewable energy PROGRAM is up to the total amount of uncommitted funds available under s64 of the ARENA Act from (c) improvement in technology readiness 2015 to 2022 and any other funding appropriated and commercial readiness of Renewable to ARENA. Energy Technologies (d) reduction in or removal of barriers to Funding for the PROGRAM will be drawn from renewable energy uptake these funds until the funds are exhausted or the (e) increased skills, capacity and knowledge PROGRAM is closed.

8 Relevant to Renewable Energy ARENA Grants awarded to Activities under the Technologies. PROGRAM are expected to be between $100,000. and $50 million, with Applicants typically expected to at least match the funding being sought from ARENA. Funding provided through the PROGRAM will generally be in the form of Grants, which may include recoupable Grants, in accordance with the definition of financial assistance in part 4 of the ARENA Act. ARENA will provide the minimum amount of funding to allow the Activity to proceed, and in certain cases, subject to all other parties to the Activity receiving a commercial return. ADVANCING RENEWABLES PROGRAM PROGRAM Guidelines 5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. You must meet all of the eligibility criteria in this ELIGIBILITY CRITERION C.

9 Section to be an Applicant. TAKE PLACE IN AUSTRALIA. You must demonstrate to the satisfaction of ELIGIBILITY CRITERION A ARENA that the Activity will primarily take place ELIGIBLE APPLICANT in Australia. To be an Applicant you must: Any ARENA-funded expenditure incurred by you (a) at the time of applying, hold an Australian outside of Australia, other than for equipment or Business Number (ABN) and materials, must be limited to no more than 10 per (b) unless applying for funding for Desktop Studies cent of total ARENA funds, except in exceptional and Analysis, circumstances that must be justified by you and agreed to in writing by ARENA before submission be (or warrant that you will be at the time of of a Proposal. entering into a funding agreement) an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or ELIGIBILITY CRITERION D.

10 Be a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a KNOWLEDGE SHARING. government business enterprise by section 5(1). of the Public Governance, Performance and You must agree to enter into an agreement Accountability Rule 2014 or with ARENA to publicly share knowledge and information about, and resulting from, the Activity be an Australian State or Territory owned described in your Proposal. corporation or a subsidiary of an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or be an Australian local government or council. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION E . INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. ELIGIBILITY CRITERION B You must warrant your ownership of and access to, ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY or the beneficial use of, any intellectual property necessary to carry out the Activity.