$20.6 million in Climate Ready grants to support 324 jobs

Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, has announced $20.6 million in grants, to 32 businesses for projects supporting around 324 green jobs, under the Rudd government's Climate Ready program.

The Climate Ready program offers matching grants from $50,000 to $5 million to support research and development, proof-of-concept and early-stage commercialisation activities to develop solutions to climate change challenges.

“Climate Ready is about working in partnership with industry to support our best green ideas and, in turn, support high-wage, high-skill jobs," Senator Carr said.

“Today’s announcement takes the total number of projects funded under the program to 105, worth more than $78 million in grant funding and supporting around 1080 jobs.

“Climate Ready provides businesses with the support needed to overcome both environmental and financial obstacles.”

The funded projects will achieve concrete objectives, such as reducing energy use and carbon emissions and promoting water recycling and waste recovery.

Projects include:

• Lang Technologies, from Queensland, awarded $724,486 to develop an industry solution to water and energy wastage in food processing. (Contact: Michael Thomes - 02 8823 3171)
• Cube Consulting, from West Australia, awarded $500,000 to develop an innovative, web-based environmental management, monitoring and reporting system to meet climate change challenges. (Contact: Anthony Hampton - 08 9442 2111)
• Aqua Guardian, from Victoria, awarded $499,512 to work on innovative equipment to prevent evaporation on large-scale water storage areas to mitigate climate change impacts on scarce water resources. (Contact: Nigel Blair - 03 9867 1833)

Climate Ready is part of the Clean Business Australia initiative - a $240 million partnership over four years, between the Rudd government and industry, to deliver energy and water-efficient projects with a focus on productivity and innovation.