The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) provides financial assistance for renewable energy projects in Australia.
It supports the Australian Government’s climate change and energy objectives, including:
- reducing emissions by 62 to 70% below 2005 levels by 2035
- achieving net zero by 2030.
Types of finance
ARENA provides grant funding for:
- research and development of early-stage technologies
- testing the viability of new tools and business models
- pre-commercial rollout of technologies to improve future project competitiveness.
Background
The agency was established on 1 July 2012 under the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act 2012.
It operates as a corporate Commonwealth entity and specialist direct investment vehicle.
Governance
The Minister for Climate Change and Energy is responsible for ARENA.
The Minister for Finance is consulted on key governance and commercial matters.
It is governed by a board. Read more on the ARENA website.
Statement of expectations
The Climate Change and Energy Minister and the Minister for Finance provide guidance on how the agency should operate through a statement of expectations (SoE). ARENA responds with a statement of intent (SoI).
The current SoE and SoI were released in February and May 2025.
They include:
- delivering on the 2030 target and net zero by 2050
- collaborating with other government agencies on broader polies and priorities
- ensuring effective and inclusive engagement and governance
- communicating across the portfolio
- incineration of non-putrescible waste for energy.
Read the SoE and SoI on the ARENA website.
More information
Read more about investments and funding opportunities on the ARENA website.
For questions about policy matters, contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
