A range of funding and finance is available to Australian low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) projects, including grants, zero-interest loans, equity, debt, guarantees and tax incentives from the Australian Government.
Explore
Find a program
Select a project stage to see the programs available at that point. Select a program to jump to its details.
Types of funding and initiatives
- Grants Money that does not need to be repaid, awarded for a defined project or activity.
- Debt Borrowed capital such as loans, repaid over time with interest.
- Tax incentives Concessions or incentives delivered through the tax system rather than as payments.
- Hybrid Programs that can offer more than one type of funding, depending on the project.
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Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund LCLF Stream
GrantsOpen, non-competitive grantsSupporting pre-FID stage
Up to $250 million, the program, delivered by ARENA, supports pre-commercial innovation, demonstration and deployment of renewable energy and low emission technologies across the Priority of Low Carbon Liquid Fuels (LCLF).
Key eligibility requirements
Projects must align with both the Program Guidelines and LCLF Technology Focus Area documentation. This includes alignment with ARENA’s Renewable Feedstock definition.
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Cooperative Research Centres Grants
GrantsSupporting pre-FID stage (research and development)
The program, delivered by the Business Grants Hub, supports medium to long term industry-led collaborative research of between 3 and 10 years.
Key eligibility requirements
- Collaboration must include at least 3 Australian industry entities and 2 Australian research organisations.
- Co-contributions of cash and in-kind at least matching the grant.
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Cooperative Research Centres Projects Grants
GrantsSupporting pre-FID stage (research and development)
The program, delivered by the Business Grants Hub, supports short term, industry-led collaborative research, for up to 3 years.
Key eligibility requirements
- Led by an Australian small and medium enterprise partnering with at least one Australian industry entity and one Australian research organisation.
- Up to $3 million.
- Co-contributions of cash and in-kind at least matching the grant.
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Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Equity, debtSupporting pre-FID stage, construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The CEFC is Australia’s specialist climate investor and has been focused on Australia’s alternative fuels sector (including Low Carbon Liquid Fuels and Hydrogen) for over a decade. Read more
With access to more than $33 billion from the Australian Government, the CEFC invests with commercial rigour and is governed by an independent board. Financing of LCLF is from the CEFC’s $11.5 billion General Portfolio.
Key eligibility requirements
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
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Powering Australia Technology Fund
Equity, debtSupporting pre-FID stage, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Up to $500 million, the fund, managed by CEFC, invests in climate tech opportunities which facilitate the development, commercialisation or take up of clean energy technologies.
Key eligibility requirements
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
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Advancing Hydrogen Fund
Equity, debtSupporting pre-FID stage, construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The $300m fund, managed by CEFC, focuses on projects aligned to the National Hydrogen Strategy or where there is financial support from state or territory governments.
Key eligibility requirements
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
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Economic Resilience Program
DebtZero-interest loansSupporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Through the $1 billion program, delivered by NRFC, eligible Australian businesses will have access to zero interest loans to support identified industries impacted by market disruptions, or help maintain and build national strategic and economic resilience.
Key eligibility requirements
There are two parts to the program:
- Zero interest loans administered directly by a participating bank for companies who are seeking a loan of up to $5 million (note: Applications open from 20 April 2026 for six months or until allocations under the program have been exhausted.)
- Zero interest loans administered by the NRFC for companies who are seeking a loan of more than $5 million.
To be considered eligible, businesses will need to demonstrate:
- That they are an Australian manufacturing or logistics business (have an ABN)
- That they are in an identified sector (see ANZSIC Code list)
- That they have been materially impacted by market disruption (documentary evidence/customer attestation)
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National Reconstruction Fund Corporation’s General Portfolio
Equity, debt and guaranteesSupporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The NRFC’s existing fund that invests in manufacturing across the NRFC’s priority areas to improve sovereign capability and economic complexity.
Key eligibility requirements
The NRFC considers debt, equity and guarantee opportunities consistent with the requirements set out in the NRFC Act and the NRFC’s Investment Mandate. This includes proposals that:
- are solely or mainly Australian based
- align with at least one of the NRFC priority areas
- are not prohibited investments (including coal or natural gas extraction, the construction of pipeline infrastructure, or native forest logging)
- demonstrate a risk/return profile that is consistent with the NRFC’s Investment Mandate
- have regards to the NRFC’s legislated public policy outcomes
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Net Zero Fund
Equity, debt and guaranteesSupporting construction, commercial operations (including early stage and scale-up)
The $5bn Net Zero Fund is a sub-fund of the $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, delivered by NRFC. The Net Zero Fund is designed to:
- Support large industrial firms to decarbonise energy-intensive parts of their operations; and
- Support investment in the scale-up of domestic manufacturing of renewable and low emissions technologies.
Key eligibility requirements
To be eligible for potential investment under the Net Zero Fund, proposals must:
- Be solely or mainly Australian based
- Involve manufacturing or processing
- Fall within the Industrial Manufacturing and Critical Supply Chains or Renewables and Low Emission Technologies NRFC Priority areas
- Not directly finance the extraction of coal or natural gas, pipeline infrastructure for the extraction of natural gas, or native forest logging.
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Export Finance Australia
Debt, guarantees, bonds and equitySupporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
EFA provides finance on its Commercial Account to support commercially viable projects that have an export link. EFA also manages the National Interest Account (NIA) on behalf of the Australian Government. Under the NIA, EFA has the power to support major domestic projects in the national interest aligned with Future Made in Australia priority sectors.
Key eligibility requirements
Projects must be commercially viable and meet EFA’s standard due diligence requirements.
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Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
Primarily debt, with limited equity and guaranteesSupporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
With a total financing capacity of $7 billion, NAIF supports investment in infrastructure projects that unlock economic potential in northern Australia.
Key eligibility requirements
To be considered for financing by NAIF, your project must meet the mandatory criteria outlined in our Investment Mandate. This criterion requires that your project:
- Involve the development or enhancement of infrastructure.
- Be of public benefit to northern Australia.
- Be located in, or provides significant benefit to, northern Australia.
- Have an Indigenous Engagement Strategy (with the exception of the Indian Ocean Territories).
- Be able to repay or refinance NAIF’s debt.
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Cleaner Fuels Program
GrantsProduction-linked grantsSupporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The $1.1 billion program, to be delivered by ARENA, will target support toward Low Carbon Liquid Fuels projects that are advanced in development, progressing toward a final investment decision and targeting production in the near future.
Key eligibility requirements
The program is not yet open for applications. You can now ‘Register your project’ via the Cleaner Fuels Program webpage.
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Hydrogen Headstart Program
GrantsProduction-linked grantsSupporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The program, delivered by ARENA across two funding rounds Round 1 (with up to $1.25 billion committed) and Round 2 (up to $1 billion budgeted), is designed to fund large-scale renewable hydrogen production projects to accelerate development of Australia’s renewable hydrogen industry, catalyse clean energy industries and help Australia connect to new global hydrogen supply chains.
Key eligibility requirements
The program is closed to new applications.
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Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive
Tax incentivesProduction-linked refundable tax offsetSupporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive provides a refundable tax offset of $2 per kilogram of eligible renewable hydrogen produced in Australia. The incentive is jointly administered by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), which manages tax offset claims, and the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), which certifies production and verifies eligibility through the Guarantee of Origin (GO) Scheme.
Key eligibility requirements
- Eligible company: Must be an Australian resident company (or a foreign company with a permanent establishment in Australia) that is subject to Australian income tax.
- Certified production profile: The hydrogen must be produced under a production profile certified by CER through the GO Scheme.
- Eligible renewable hydrogen: Hydrogen must be produced up to a maximum of 10 years in Australia between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040, must being producing hydrogen or take final investment decision on an eligible project prior to 1 July 2030, and have a registered Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO) certificate.
- Operation capacity: a project must be at least equivalent to a 10-megawatt electrolyser.
- Low emissions and compliance requirements: The hydrogen must have an emissions intensity of 0.6 kg CO₂ or less per kg of hydrogen and meet grid-matching requirements where applicable.
Funding options in detail
Up to $250 million, the program, delivered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), supports pre-commercial innovation, demonstration and deployment of renewable energy and low emission technologies across the Priority of Low Carbon Liquid Fuels (LCLF).
Open, non-competitive grants
Supporting pre-FID stage
Projects must align with both the Program Guidelines and LCLF Technology Focus Area documentation.
This includes alignment with ARENA’s Renewable Feedstock definition.
The $1.1 billion program, to be delivered by ARENA, will target support toward Low Carbon Liquid Fuels projects that are advanced in development, progressing toward a final investment decision and targeting production in the near future.
Production-linked grants
Supporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The program is not yet open for applications.
You can now ‘Register your project’ via the Cleaner Fuels Program webpage.
The CEFC is Australia’s specialist climate investor and has been focused on Australia’s alternative fuels sector (including Low Carbon Liquid Fuels and Hydrogen) for over a decade.
The Corporation’s in-depth industry knowledge is informed by extensive industry consultation, experience financing nascent industries and complex projects, long-standing representation on industry associations and various public research reports commissioned by the CEFC, including Refined Ambitions: Exploring Australia’s Low Carbon Liquid Fuels Potential.
With access to more than $33 billion from the Australian Government, the CEFC invests with commercial rigour and is governed by an independent board. Financing of LCLF is from the CEFC’s $11.5 billion General Portfolio.
Equity, debt
Supporting pre-FID stage, construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
Up to $500 million, the fund, managed by CEFC, invests in climate tech opportunities which facilitate the development, commercialisation or take up of clean energy technologies.
Equity, debt
Supporting pre-FID stage, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
The NRFC’s existing fund that invests in manufacturing across the NRFC’s priority areas to improve sovereign capability and economic complexity.
Equity, debt and guarantees
Supporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The NRFC considers debt, equity and guarantee opportunities consistent with the requirements set out in the NRFC Act and the NRFC's Investment Mandate. This includes proposals that:
- are solely or mainly Australian based
- align with at least one of the NRFC priority areas
- are not prohibited investments (including coal or natural gas extraction, the construction of pipeline infrastructure, or native forest logging)
- demonstrate a risk/return profile that is consistent with the NRFC's Investment Mandate
- have regards to the NRFC's legislated public policy outcomes
The $5bn Net Zero Fund is a sub-fund of the $15bn National Reconstruction Fund, delivered by NRFC. The Net Zero Fund is designed to:
- Support large industrial firms to decarbonise energy-intensive parts of their operations; and
- Support investment in the scale-up of domestic manufacturing of renewable and low emissions technologies
Equity, debt and guarantees
Supporting construction, commercial operations (including early stage and scale-up)
To be eligible for potential investment under the Net Zero Fund, proposals must:
- Be solely or mainly Australian based
- Involve manufacturing or processing
- Fall within the Industrial Manufacturing and Critical Supply Chains or Renewables and Low Emission Technologies NRFC Priority areas
- Not directly finance the extraction of coal or natural gas, pipeline infrastructure for the extraction of natural gas, or native forest logging.
Through the $1 billion program, delivered by NRFC, eligible Australian businesses will have access to zero interest loans to support identified industries impacted by market disruptions, or help maintain and build national strategic and economic resilience.
Zero‑interest loans
Supporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
There are two parts to the program:
- Zero interest loans administered directly by a participating bank for companies who are seeking a loan of up to $5 million (note: Applications open from 20 April 2026 for six months or until allocations under the program have been exhausted.)
- Zero interest loans administered by the NRFC for companies who are seeking a loan of more than $5 million.
To be considered eligible, businesses will need to demonstrate:
- That they are an Australian manufacturing or logistics business (have an ABN)
- That they are in an identified sector (see ANZSIC Code list)
- That they have been materially impacted by market disruption (documentary evidence/customer attestation)
EFA provides finance on its Commercial Account to support commercially viable projects that have an export link. EFA also manages the National Interest Account (NIA) on behalf of the Australian Government. Under the NIA, EFA has the power to support major domestic projects in the national interest aligned with Future Made in Australia priority sectors.
Debt, guarantees, bonds and equity
Supporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Projects must be commercially viable and meet EFA’s standard due diligence requirements.
With a total financing capacity of $7 billion, NAIF supports investment in infrastructure projects that unlock economic potential in northern Australia.
Primarily debt, with limited equity and guarantees
Supporting construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
To be considered for financing by NAIF, your project must meet the mandatory criteria outlined in our Investment Mandate. This criterion requires that your project:
- Involve the development or enhancement of infrastructure.
- Be of public benefit to northern Australia.
- Be located in, or provides significant benefit to, northern Australia.
- Have an Indigenous Engagement Strategy (with the exception of the Indian Ocean Territories).
- Be able to repay or refinance NAIF's debt.
The $300m fund, managed by CEFC, focuses on projects aligned to the National Hydrogen Strategy or where there is financial support from state or territory governments.
Equity, debt
Supporting pre-FID stage, construction, commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
Details around eligibility are available on the CEFC website and may depend on the nature of the project.
The Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive provides a refundable tax offset of $2 per kilogram of eligible renewable hydrogen produced in Australia. The incentive is jointly administered by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), which manages tax offset claims, and the Clean Energy Regulator (CER), which certifies production and verifies eligibility through the Guarantee of Origin (GO) Scheme.
Production-linked refundable tax offset
Supporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
- Eligible company: Must be an Australian resident company (or a foreign company with a permanent establishment in Australia) that is subject to Australian income tax.
- Certified production profile: The hydrogen must be produced under a production profile certified by CER through the GO Scheme.
- Eligible renewable hydrogen: Hydrogen must be produced up to a maximum of 10 years in Australia between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040, must being producing hydrogen or take final investment decision on an eligible project prior to 1 July 2030, and have a registered Product Guarantee of Origin (PGO) certificate.
- Operation capacity: a project must be at least equivalent to a 10-megawatt electrolyser
- Low emissions and compliance requirements: The hydrogen must have an emissions intensity of 0.6 kg COâ‚‚ or less per kg of hydrogen and meet grid-matching requirements where applicable.
The program, delivered by ARENA across two funding rounds Round 1 (with up to $1.25 billion committed) and Round 2 (up to $1 billion budgeted), is designed to fund large-scale renewable hydrogen production projects to accelerate development of Australia’s renewable hydrogen industry, catalyse clean energy industries and help Australia connect to new global hydrogen supply chains.
Production-linked grants
Supporting commercial operations (early stage and scale-up)
The program is closed to new applications.
The program, delivered by the Business Grants Hub, supports medium to long term industry-led collaborative research of between 3 and 10 years.
Grants
Supporting pre-FID stage (research and development)
- Applicant is a group of entities which have agreed to collaborate and must include at least 3 Australian industry entities and 2 research organisations.
- Up to 10 years with no specific funding limit.
- Co-contributions of cash and in-kind at least matching the grant.
- The recent round ‘CRC Grants Round 27’ is closed.
The program, delivered by the Business Grants Hub, supports short term, industry-led collaborative research, for up to 3 years.
Grants
Supporting pre-FID stage (research and development)
- Led by an Australian small and medium enterprise partnering with at least one Australian industry entity and one Australian research organisation.
- Up to 3 years and $3 million.
- Co-contributions of cash and in-kind at least matching the grant.
- The recent round ‘CRC Projects Round 19’ is closed.
Disclaimer
The funding opportunities listed on this page are provided for general information only and are not intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive. While we aim to keep the information current, programs may change, close, or be updated without notice, and new opportunities may not yet be reflected here.
Before applying, please refer to the official program source for the most up-to-date eligibility criteria, terms, conditions, and deadlines. Inclusion on this page does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of funding, and we accept no responsibility for any decisions made on the basis of the information provided.