The Australian Government has committed AUD $500m ($313m) through Future Made in Australia (FMIA) for the steelmaking and manufacturing sectors, which could support hydrogen electrolyser technologies.
This marks the first funding allocation from the AUD $1.75bn ($1bn) FMIA Innovation Fund, introduced in last year’s Federal Budget. Grants will be awarded on merits like energy goal alignment, job creation, and economic resilience, supporting manufacturers in scaling up.
While the Albanese Labor Government has indicated that the funding could support hydrogen electrolysers or battery and storage technologies, the press release suggests a stronger emphasis on domestic wind tower steel fabrication.
“Through ARENA, the $500m allocation from the Innovation Fund will provide merit-based grants for manufacturing opportunities, including projects which build new capacity in wind tower steel fabrication and related sectors,” the online statement said.
