As part of Small Business September 2010, Industry and Investment NSW is offering small businesses the opportunity to win the Small Business Flourish Package valued at $17,400.

This prize includes:

• $1,000 ANZ Visa debit card
• $1,000 Australia Post office supplies
• $10,400 Cumberland Courier Newspapers advertising package
• $5,000 Yellow Pages print advertising package

This is a fantastic opportunity to improve your cash flow, upgrade your office supplies and significantly boost the promotion of your business. Don’t miss your chance for help to grow your business and flourish!

Entry is free. Entries are limited to one per business.

Ten projects will receive a total of over $13 million in government grants from the NSW Clean Coal Fund. They include projects to capture methane emissions from mines, totally new systems for generating power from coal using fuel cells and new ways of storing carbon in rocks so it is not released into the atmosphere.

Centennial Coal is working on an Ventilation Air Methane Regenerative After Burner at its Mandalong mine in the Hunter Valley in NSW at expects to have results of a trial in 2012.

GreenMag is a private company that has started up to commercialise carbon mineralisation technology developed by the University of Newcastle.

A list of the successful projects is shown below.

Project Details of Grant Recipients

Centennial (Coal) Mandalong Pty Ltd

Centennial Mandalong P/L will receive government grant funding to trial an exciting new technology termed a VAM-RAB (Ventilation Air Methane Regenerative After Burner) that promises to mitigate fugitive methane emissions escaping from underground coal mines. These emissions are notoriously difficult to abate because the naturally-occurring gas becomes diluted in the large volumes of ventilation air that are flushed through the mine during standard mining operations. As methane typically constitutes less than 1% of the ventilation air expelled from the mine, the gas is in too low in concentration to either burn-off (often referred to as flaring) or process to generate electricity.

The VAM-RAB system overcomes this problem by directing the ventilation air through what is essentially a large industrial oven where it is heated up to approximately 1000º C. Using this oxidation technique almost all of the methane (> 99%) is converted to carbon dioxide and water. A key feature of the technology is the ability to be self-sustaining without the need for additional energy to maintain the temperature in the combustion chamber. This is accomplished by preventing the heat from migrating out of the chamber via a periodic change in direction of the flow of the ventilation air through the system; hence the title ‘Regenerative After Burner’.

This innovative NSW Clean Coal funded field study will demonstrate the capture of a portion of the fugitive methane emissions escaping from the Centennial Mandalong Mine. Ultimately, a bank of 12 VAM-RAB packs is proposed to capture and treat the entire mine’s fugitive emissions.

Project: Reducing Fugitive Emissions from Open Cut Coal Mines using Enhanced Drainage of Coal Mine Methane

Grantee: The CSIRO Centre for Environment, Social and Economic Research

The CSIRO Centre for Environment, Social and Economic Research will receive government grant funding to undertake a ‘world-first’ trial to confirm whether the volume of methane gas drained from a NSW coal mine can be dramatically increased before open-cut mining commences. The ‘enhanced drainage’ technique embraces recent advances made overseas in effectively extracting methane from deep un-mineable coal seams by pumping inert gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO₂) or flue gas into the seam. The inert gases act to flush out the methane from the coal seam where it is then drained using bore wells.

The novel NSW Clean Coal funded project is, in essence, a step towards creating a ‘greenhouse gas-less mine’. The experiment involves injecting inert gases into a shallow, coal seam in an attempt to flush out a much larger volume of methane than would other-wise be extracted by current ‘primary drainage’ techniques. The drained gas can be used for power generation rather than being uncontrollably released during the mining process into the atmosphere where it can become a problematic greenhouse gas.

The proposed technique offers a real opportunity to abate fugitive methane emissions from both open-cut and underground mines. The technology may also be economically attractive. It has been shown that there is a positive business case for enhanced drainage above a greenhouse gas emissions penalty of $20/tonne CO₂-e. In contrast primary drainage never reaches breakeven and so is not feasible compared to allowing the methane to become fugitive.

Project: Development and Optimisation of the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

Grantee: University of Newcastle’s Discipline of Chemistry

The University of Newcastle’s Discipline of Chemistry will receive government grant funding to research and develop a Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC). This technology is yet to be commercialised but is widely promoted as being the ‘holy grail’ of coal-fuelled electricity generation as it has the capacity to generate electricity with much higher thermal efficiencies (~70-80%) than engines and turbines (~35-55%). In addition, the fuel cell emissions are almost entirely pure CO₂ which is therefore ready for capture and storage without the need to firstly separate out other gases such as nitrogen which are present in the flue gases of exiting power plants.

In a DCFC, electricity is generated directly from coal through the chemical oxidation of coal which has been ground and purified of ash and other contaminants. This differs substantially to the way electricity is traditionally generated – coal is burnt to boil water to make steam to turn a turbine, to turn a generator, to produce electricity. In essence, a fuel cell can be compared to an electrochemical battery. They differ in that a battery stores electrical energy chemically whilst a fuel cell relies on the external supply of a fuel (in this case coal) which must be continually replenished. A DCFC works by chemically separating the component electrons and protons of the coal, and forcing the electrons to travel through a circuit thereby converting them to electrical power.

The DCFC is an exciting example of how electricity in NSW could potentially be generated in the future. In order to drive this promising area of research and development, this project will use NSW Clean Coal funds to develop a prototype DCFC system by 2015 with commercialisation estimated to result 5-10 years later.

Project: A Simple Heat Engine for Sustainable Coal Generation

Grantee: ourSUN Pty Ltd

ourSUN P/L will receive government grant funding to undertake an independent technical and economic assessment, and cost benefit analysis to confirm the potential of their provisionally patented engine designed to generate electricity with better efficiencies. The invention, which is called the Combined Brayton Rankine Cycle Mark II (CBRC-II) engine, works on the principle of recycling waste heat and can potentially operate on any fuel.

The CBRC-II will be assessed to confirm that it can achieve higher thermal efficiencies (~65-69%) and is able to be retrofitted to existing utilities at lower capital investment costs than current combustion engines like Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and other gas turbines (~40-55%) for power generation.

If viable, the higher thermal efficiencies would result in less CO₂ emissions as less fuel is required per unit of electricity generated. Thus, this invention has the potential to significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal-fired electricity generation in NSW, and also has application throughout Australia and beyond.

Project: A Novel Chemical Looping Based Air Separation Technology for Oxy-Fuel Combustion of Coal

Grantee: The University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Energy

The University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Energy will receive government grant funding to undertake research into a novel way of producing pure oxygen for use in the efficient burning of coal to generate electricity. The technology relies on the principles of ‘chemical looping’ and uses the cyclic interaction of a metallic compound (called a metallic oxide carrier) with air as a means of separating out the oxygen. The proposed technology promises to be a cost effective means of mitigating one of the major barriers to the adoption of carbon capture technologies such as oxy-firing as conventional air separation is notoriously expensive. The specific power requirements of the Chemical Looping Air Separation system are estimated to be about 26% (including heat losses to the ambient) of that of the most advanced cryogenic air separation unit. This equates to a corresponding oxygen production cost of 0.64 vs 2.4 ¢/m3 and greenhouse gas emissions of 72 vs 270 g/CO₂ per m3 of product oxygen.

In addition to greatly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from air separation processes, the Chemical Looping Air Separation technology could accelerate the commercial-scale deployment to low emissions electricity generation utilising cost effective highly-advanced coal technologies currently being developed such as Oxy-Fuel Combustion. With support from the NSW Clean Coal Fund, a 5-year program will be pursued to get this innovative air separation technology commercially ready.

Project: Diesel Engine Development Project

Grantee: UCC Energy Pty. Ltd

UCC Energy Pty Ltd will receive government grant funding to further develop their process of producing Ultra Clean Coal and assessing its use as a coal-water fuel for firing in diesel engines to generate electricity. As diesel engines have higher thermal efficiencies than most power plant combustion engines, funding will assess whether the energy and emissions used to develop Ultra Clean Coal can efficiently and effectively operate in diesel engines large enough to generate electricity in a redistributed energy network.

The UCC process already removes most of the coal’s impurities and ash through a chemical cleaning process. The end product is micronised refined coal that can be mixed with water and additives to form a slurry fuel for use in diesel engines. Further testing however needs to establish if the long term use of this fuel is viable and can operate in diesel engines.

This project has the potential to fuel small power stations (50-250 MW) based on diesel engines which could be strategically located within the grid. The advantages of this distributed power generation include reduced transmission line losses, fast start capability, and it could effectively provide a solid base to support renewable power sources like wind and solar which are prone to sudden stoppages. The findings of this project could provide an alternative pathway to low emissions power based on coal.

Project: Further Development of an Aqueous Ammonia Process for Post-Combustion Capture of CO₂ in the NSW Power Sector

Grantee: CSIRO Energy Technology

CSIRO Energy Technology will receive government grant funding to support a research and development program dedicated to the chemical capture of CO₂ emitted in the flue gas from NSW coal-fired power stations. The program is specific tailored to focus on NSW black coals and the power stations in which they fuel and aims to optimise and improve the aqueous ammonia absorbent process under real working conditions (i.e. operating on an existing power station). The pilot-scale CO₂ capture plant used in the research is currently located at Delta Electricity’s Munmorah Power Station on the Central Coast, north of Sydney.

This innovative project continues to be the only current research and development pilot program on liquid-based absorbent PCC technologies suitable for NSW power stations. The results also have applicability across the Australian black coal electricity generation sector. The NSW Clean Coal funds will assist in upgrading the pilot plant and moving it from Munmorah to Delta Electricity’s Vales Point Power Station so that this critical research program can continue.

Project: Site Trials of Novel CO₂ Capture Technology at Delta Electricity

Grantee: CSIRO Coal Technology

CSIRO Coal Technology will receive government grant funding to investigate the ability of a novel, patented technology to physically separate out the CO₂ from the flue gas emitted from NSW coal-fired power stations. The technology uses HMCFC adsorbents which are a type of nano-structured Monolithic (i.e. one moulded component) Carbon Fibre Composite adsorbent material fabricated in a Honeycomb structure. The technology enables dry CO₂ capture at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and in dusty environments with low pressure drop, reducing the operational and maintenance cost of the post-combustion capture process. In addition, the heat in the flue gas can be utilised in the process thereby further reducing the electricity requirements of capturing CO₂. Thus, this technology promises to play a key role in the cost effective and environmentally responsible generation of electricity in the future.

Photos of fabricated HMCFC adsorbent (left) and microscopic carbon fibres that make up the adsorbent (right). Courtesy of CSIRO.

Through the support provided by the NSW Clean Coal Fund, an adsorption test unit will be installed at one of Delta Electricity’s power stations on the Central Coast, north of Sydney. The effect of real flue gas on the operation and performance of the test unit will be tested and the CO₂ capture process demonstrated. Information on the commercial application of the technology will also be generated from the field trial.

Project: Permanent Large Scale CO₂ Storage by Mineral Carbonation in NSW

Grantee: GreenMag Group and the University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Energy

The GreenMag Group and University of Newcastle Priority Research Centre for Energy will receive government grant funding to develop and optimise a promising method of disposing of carbon dioxide gas emitted from NSW coal-fired power stations. The Mineral Carbonation process takes advantage of a natural process whereby CO₂ is captured in mineral deposits resulting in it being stored in rocks. A key advantage of this process is that the CO₂ is permanently stored in the rocks. It would only re-enter the atmosphere if the rocks were subjected to extremely high temperatures. Building products and the extraction of noble metals left over from the mineral carbonation process may also assist in offsetting the economic costs of sequestering CO₂.

Illustration of the mineral carbonation process as proposed by the GreenMag Group and the University of Newcastle.

This cutting edge project will be a ‘world first’ in the building and operation of a mineral carbonation pilot plant. The pilot work will be supported by laboratory research to optimise and demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of two mineral carbonation processes to speed up the chemical reaction between concentrated CO₂, (that has been captured from power station flue gas, stripped and then pressurised) and finely ground rock (serpentinite mined in NSW). The underlying aim is to optimise the processes with a lower energy penalty.

Project: Managing Clean Coal Technology Project Risk: The Role of Public Awareness

Grantee: The University of Newcastle’s Research Institute for Social Inclusion and Well-being

The University of Newcastle’s Research Institute for Social Inclusion and Well-being will receive government grant funding to use an innovative approach to understand the network of relations between industry, society and government that impact on public acceptance of low emission coal technologies.

Using a contemporary methodology of the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) which can explain how technology and people interact over time, the research will identify and implement those contemporary public awareness methods, beyond traditional consultation and public relations, to increase the public awareness and positive social attitudes to support the adoption and applications of low emission coal technologies.

This project will undertake research in regional and metropolitan areas, and look at varying technological applications to implement solution focused mechanisms and strategies for government, society and industry to increase public awareness and acceptance.

Blacktown City Council
Irrigation of Blacktown Public Open Spaces with Recycled Water
Funding: $235,000

Blacktown City Council will save 115 million litres of water each year by improving their irrigation systems at sports fields and adjacent landscaped grounds. The Council is expanding Blacktown Olympic Park to include cricket and AFL fields. The works will include upgrading existing and installing new highly efficient irrigation systems which will also allow them to be supplied with recycled water. The project will enable the Council to become a sustainability showcase for the Blacktown community.

Charles Sturt University
Energy Savings & Education Project
Funding: $75,000

Charles Sturt University will install energy and water saving technologies including efficient lighting and amenities fixtures at its Wagga Wagga Campus to reduce carbon pollution by an estimated 236 tonnes and save more than 7.8 million litres of water each year. The project will also feature the production of internet video case studies promoting the projects to the local community.

Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation
Greening the Wharf
Funding: $1,177,000

Arts NSW, in conjunction with the Sydney Theatre Company and the arts community at Pier 4/5 Walsh Bay, will transform an iconic, heritage-listed finger wharf on Sydney Harbour into a publicly accessible green technology showcase. The building’s energy consumption will be slashed as a result of the installation of Australia’s largest building-integrated solar photovoltaic array. More energy efficient lighting and controls will also be installed and a solar hot water system to save an estimated total of 634 tonnes of carbon pollution a year. Water efficient fixtures and an innovative rainwater harvesting system will help save the department more than 8 million litres of water a year.

Hurstville City Council
Hurstville Aquatic Centre Energy and Water Conservation Strategy
Funding: $566,900

Hurstville City Council will significantly reduce energy and water consumption at Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre by installing a cogeneration plant to generate 35 per cent of the centre’s electricity requirements and recover the waste heat to warm the pool. This is estimated to save 660 tonnes of carbon pollution each year. The Council will also install a harvesting system for collecting, storing and treating rainwater for reuse in swimming pools and landscaping. The Council will work with local stakeholders to inform the community and local businesses about the project, and demonstrate its benefits to the 600,000 people visiting the pool each year.

Lake Macquarie City Council
Innovative Air Conditioning Control Equipment
Funding: $41,000

Lake Macquarie City Council will install highly efficient HVAC indoor temperature control equipment at the Council’s Administration Building and Charlestown Library. Each year, this equipment will result in energy savings of an estimated 100,000 kilowatt hours and reduce carbon pollution by 106 tonnes. The Council will use an interactive foyer display, newsletters and internal communications to inform staff and the 70,000 public visiting the Council’s Administration Building each year.

Lismore City Council
The CBD GREENovation Project
Funding: $245,439

Lismore City Council’s ‘CBD GREENovation Project’ will create a demonstration of water and energy saving actions across a number of key public buildings in Lismore Central Business District. The Lismore Library, Adult Community Education Centre, Lismore Neighbourhood Centre, and Council’s CBD Customer Centre will undergo a combination of green renovations including an energy efficient lighting retrofit and the installation of solar hot water, insulation, solar voltaic systems, rainwater tanks and timers. The project will be complemented by an interactive and relocatable educational display to communicate ways to save water and energy at home or in business. The project will result in direct savings of an estimated 69,000 litres of water and 45 tonnes of carbon pollution a year.

Northmead Public School
Outdoor Classroom
Funding: $19,000

Northmead Public School community will install a rainwater harvesting system to save more than 343,000 litres of water a year. The system will become part of a new outdoor hands-on learning experience for students and demonstrate simple ways to minimise water use.

Robertson Bowling Club Ltd
Club Robertson Environment Enhancement Project (CREEP)
Funding: $172,000

Robertson Bowling Club, near Wollongong, will install an artificial bowling surface to achieve massive water savings of 917,000 litres a year. The project will reduce the need for chemicals in irrigation processes and the club’s members will benefit from new improved playing surfaces. The club will also upgrade to dual flush toilets, and install four new rainwater tanks and waterless woks to significantly slash its water use. The club will undertake a range of communication activities to raise awareness about the water efficient initiatives being installed to the club’s members, local schools and business groups.

Rous County Council
5 Star Water Aware Centre Project
Funding: $63,000

Rous County Council will work with childcare centres and four regional Councils to implement a major water conservation project and save more than 1.2 million litres of water a year. Building on the demonstrated results of an existing Water Aware Centre Program, the project will create demonstration centres in four council areas by upgrading and installing water tanks and other water efficient appliances and fixtures in seven childcare centres. A range of education materials will be developed and delivered to the local community to promote the project and simple ways to minimise water consumption.

Scout Association of Australia, NSW branch
Sustainable Scout Sites
Funding: $1,082,840

The NSW branch of the Scout Association of Australia will save more than 17 million litres of water a year as part of a major upgrade of taps and toilets at 120 scout halls and activity centres across NSW. The association will also reduce carbon pollution at the halls by more than 97 tonnes a year by upgrading to new hot water systems with energy efficient heat pump technology. With 20,000 members and volunteers in the NSW branch alone, the association will actively educate the community in the local area about the project through a comprehensive education program. This includes training group leaders, venturers and rovers in the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies and utilising a “Scouting for Saving” Save Water & Energy Action Pack. The association will also host quiz nights and deliver workshops to many community groups around project locations, while community groups using the scout facilities will be regularly exposed to messages highlighting the benefits of the project through signage, websites, media activity, signage and artwork.

Sydney West Area Health Service
Greening of Sydney West Area Health Service Phase 2
Funding: $1,560,000

Sydney West Area Health Service will embark on the second phase of a major energy efficiency upgrade at 5 of its facilities in Western Sydney, including Lithgow, Westmead, Blue Mountains, Mt Druitt and Blacktown hospitals. The project involves a range of initiatives including the installation of two wind turbines, solar hot water systems, two chillers, energy efficient lighting and controls. This project will help save more than 5,333 megawatt hours of energy and almost 6,300 tonnes of carbon pollution a year. The Area Health Service will implement a widespread communication and education strategy to raise awareness of the energy project amongst staff, patients and the local community.

TAFE NSW – Hunter Institute
Using Solar Desiccant Cooling to Reduce HVAC CO2 Emissions
Funding: $480,310

TAFE NSW – Hunter Institute’s Hamilton campus will showcase the latest in energy savings technologies to the local community through a massive overhaul of their energy use. The tourism and hospitality training facility, with more than 4,000 students annually, will undertake a  project to use the sun’s energy to significantly reduce energy and hot water consumption in the air-conditioning system, saving 537 tonnes of carbon pollution a year.

TAFE NSW – New England Institute
Armidale Electricity Refurbishment and Replacement Savings Program
Funding: $190,000

TAFE NSW – New England Institute will undertake a major upgrade of electrical fittings at its New England Campus, including the installation of sensors and timers to better control lighting systems. The project will help the TAFE save 185,000 kilowatt hours of energy and 196 tonnes of carbon pollution a year. The TAFE will promote the project and its benefits through the Sustainable Living Expo, as well as various activities involving the 2,500 students studying at the TAFE each year. Activities will include open days, courses and trade evenings with local contractors and wholesalers.

TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute
Unique Solar Recycled Rainwater System for Greenskills
Funding: $79,470

TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute will adopt a range of simple and efficient technologies at Enmore Design Centre to slash water consumption significantly and demonstrate ways to save energy and water to students and the general public. This will include installing rainwater tanks for watering the college’s grounds and an adjacent community park to save 430,000 litres of water a year. The project will also include the installation of innovative solar security lights, a solar run water pump and realtime data loggers.

TAFE NSW – Western Institute
Sustainability Trades Education Centre
Funding: $247,500

TAFE NSW – Western Institute will build and launch an educational facility for teaching tradespeople, the general community and an estimated 800 students about renewable energies, water efficiencies and low energy building design. The multi-purpose building will provide hands-on demonstration of efficient building practices through passive design features, water harvesting for toilets and gardening, solar hot water and photovoltaic panels. The building phase will actively involve students and incorporate a monitoring process to educate building users. Industry partnerships included as part of the project will ensure tradespeople have the required skills to promote these technologies across Western NSW. The TAFE has over 2,000 apprentices and provides post trade training to over 300 students. The project is expected to directly save 223,000 litres of water, 16,000 kilowatt hours of energy and 17 tonnes of carbon pollution each year.

The Factory Community Centre
Water and Energy Saving Project
Funding: $399,295

The Factory Community Centre in Waterloo will introduce and implement a number of energy and water saving measures to save 112,000 litres of water a year and 8 tonnes of greenhouse gases. The widely used community centre in the heart of Waterloo will upgrade existing toilets and install roof insulation, ceiling fans, new light fittings, a rainwater tank and solar panels as part of the Factory’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. The project will become a platform for educating the wider community about the importance of water and energy saving measures around the home and in the workplace.

Trustees of the Sisters of Mercy Diocese of Bathurst
Living With Water & Sun: Community Learning To Manage Energy For Life
Funding: $205,205

The Rahamim Ecological Learning Centre in Bathurst will undertake a water harvesting project to capture rainwater for irrigating the grounds and gardens at the heritage building. The new tanks will help save 885,000 litres of water a year. The project also includes the installation of ceiling insulation, solar hot water and a photovoltaic system to save 14 megawatt hours of energy and 15 tonnes of carbon pollution a year. The project will be promoted to people accessing the building and the wider community through a number of communications tools including brochures, events, newsletters, workshops and practical demonstrations.

Young High School
School Grounds Improvements
Funding: $21,500

Young High School will save 4.5 million litres of water a year by installing a 123,000 litre rainwater tank to supply water to gardens and grassed areas at the school. The project will also include a program to help raise awareness of water conservation amongst students and reduce the school’s current water use by up to 60 per cent. The project will be promoted through newsletters and signage to the students and staff at the school.

The Innovation Pathways Program has been developed by Industry and Investment NSW and the Australian Technology Showcase (NSW) to assist innovative technology organisations (including researchers, start-ups and established SMEs) to accelerate the commercialisation of their technology. Subject to satisfying eligibility requirements, a government grant of up to $25,000 may be available to individual organisations.

How it works

The Innovation Pathways Program targets organisations with a maximum turnover of $15M and with innovative technologies supported by intellectual property. The first stage of the Innovation Pathways Program focuses on building commercialisation and export skills and knowledge in a group learning environment, through a one day diagnostic followed by an 8-10 week program of workshops and mentoring. Eligible organisations may include researchers, start-ups and established SMEs.

Following a panel review, the subsequent stage of the Innovation Pathways Program will provide government grant assistance up to $25,000, (up to $35,000 for ATS members) to individual organisations, and will be available on a merit basis, where the organisation is able to identify a clear growth pathway with achievable outcomes within 12 months. Government grant assistance may include capital raising, export market planning or development of a technology demonstration site.

Outcomes to be considered will include growth in jobs and export sales, and accessing investment or competitive government grants. In exceptional circumstances, or when more than one organisation is collaborating to generate outcomes, up to $50,000 may be available.

Within the group diagnostics and workshops stage, there are 2 streams:

• Stream 1: Commercial – Organisations with innovative technology and intellectual property. This stream includes researchers and start-ups, and does not require participants to be incorporated.
• Stream 2: Export – Established businesses with innovative technology, IP, a reference site and export potential.

The following diagram illustrates the Innovation Pathways Program:

How to get involved

The Innovation Pathways Program will be managed by the ATS unit in Industry & Investment NSW. Organisations interested in accessing the Innovation Pathways Program should submit a completed Assistance Application Form and email to atseoi@business.nsw.gov.au.

This Application Form will assist in an assessment of the organisation’s Innovation Pathways Program eligibility, and the program streams and elements most appropriate to the organisation’s technology and commercialisation stage.

Organisations will be contacted within ten days of receipt of the Innovation Pathways Program Application Form and advised of the next steps. If the organisation is ineligible for support under the Innovation Pathways Program alternative development options will be identified.

Strategic Business Clusters are like-minded groups of co-operative businesses and supporting organisations with common business objectives that work collaboratively for economic growth.

Strategic Business Clusters can include businesses with complementary capability or businesses involved in the same supply/value chain with common suppliers and distributors, and can include related organisations that support these businesses such as industry associations and knowledge providers (universities and research institutions).

Objectives
The Strategic Business Clusters Program supports business networks and clusters to achieve competitive advantage in local or international markets. The Strategic Business Clusters Program also seeks to encourage businesses to strengthen their partnerships with education and research institutions to accelerate the uptake of new ideas.
Specific outcomes include:

• Increasing jobs and investment
• Improving business productivity and competitiveness
• Increasing innovation

Expressions of Interest for Funding Round One of the Strategic Business Clusters Program is now open. Three levels of financial support are available:

1. Business Network Support of up to $5,000 in matched funding is available to business networks to create business opportunities for their members.
2. Business Cluster Support of up to $10,000 in matched funding is available to business clusters to achieve competitive advantage.
3. Business Cluster Project Support of up to $30,000 in matched funding to existing clusters for specific cluster activity that increases employment, improves productivity and competition, and promotes innovation.

1. Business Network Support
Support of up to $5,000 in matched funding1 is available to business networks to create business opportunities for their members. Support is available for initiatives such as:

• Researching information on markets and opportunities and other services that helpmembers gain and maintain competitive advantage.
• Promoting new business practices and technology through seminars and workshops
• Promoting member capability through the use of website and promotional material.

Download application form


2. Business Cluster Support
Assistance of up to $10,000 in matched funding1 is available to business clusters to achieve competitive advantage. Activity that might be supported include:

• Strategic planning and facilitation
• Joint business feasibility and strategic cluster marketing plans
• Collaborative marketing, tendering or showcasing to gain and maintain competitive advantage
• Sponsoring specific skills development
• Domestic and international trade activities, and
• Developing links with academia, research and development organizations.

Download application form


3. Business Cluster Project Support
Assistance of up to $30,000 in matched funding2 to existing clusters for specific cluster activity for a set time period. This support is aimed at addressing the gap between the current impact of cluster activities and their potential impact to increase employment, improve productivity and competition, and promote innovation.

Download application form


Project Type

Preference will be given to those clusters that have strong economic development goals and strategies and have partnerships with key stakeholders. Types of cluster projects that might be funded include:

• Collaborative projects that result in joint tendering, technology development and diffusion, new product developments and production processes
• Cooperative projects that gain specific qualifications or training to address eg certification to standards or a workforce skill need
• Positioning projects that strengthen the cluster’s brand and image within domestic and international markets
• Innovative projects that stimulate new ways of doing things

Expressions of Interest for Funding Round One of the Strategic Business Clusters Program is now open. If you are considering applying please read the Applicant Information for further detail including eligibility criteria.


Applications for Funding Round One of the Strategic Business Clusters must be received by Industry & Investment NSW by 5pm on 5 March 2010.

To discuss eligibility for  Government grants or assistance with applications  please contact us via the webform of call us at 03 9606 3324.

• promote the benefits of industry and PSROs working together;
• provide companies which have an initial project with some seed funding to help them engage with research facilities;
• provide expert technical guidance that helps an SME identify the most suitable research partner; and
• support PSROs in making it easier for SMEs to engage with them.

• fund a research project in partnership with a research organisation;
• support a research project that will lead to an application for an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grant or an Enterprise Connect Researchers in Business grant, or other similar schemes;
• fund access to research facilities such as electron microscopes, medical imaging, e-research supercomputers, nanofabrication and other facilities under the Commonwealth Government’s NCRIS program;
• fund product or process design activities (e.g. use engineering or technical design expertise to determine prototype structure, function and/or materials);
• technical assistance;
• trial production runs or processes to demonstrate technical concepts;
• validation or demonstration the technical capabilities of the product, process or service, scale-up, stability or reproducibility of a process; and
• fund toxicology studies on materials that you have invented, or wish to incorporate into your new product.

• the TechVoucher value must be matched by the applicant in cash and/or in-kind;
• the TechVoucher will be valid for use at any NSW based public research organisation;
• the TechVoucher will be valid for a period of 6 months from date of issue; and
• the TechVoucher will be valid for eligible work completed by PSROs as described below.

• seeding a research project in partnership with a PSRO;
• funding a preliminary research activity that will lead to further funding applications to programs such as Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects;
• product/process design activities e.g. using engineering or technical design expertise to determine prototype structure, function and/or materials;
• trial production runs or processes to demonstrate a technical concept of a project or part of a project; and
• testing of toxicity, health and safety attributes of materials, including nanomaterials;
• validation or demonstration of the technical capabilities of a product, process or service, scale-up, stability or reproducibility of a process.

• be incorporated in NSW;
• have fewer than 200 employees;
• turnover less than AUD$30 Million per annum;
• have been in operation for at least one year;
• be able to demonstrate the ability to match the applicable voucher amount in cash or in kind; and
• conduct the majority of the proposed activities in NSW, in partnership with a NSW-based PSRO, including universities, TAFEs, or other public sector facilities