Current Grant Opportunity View - GO6885

The France-Australia Centre for Energy Transition (FACET) program will run over four years from 2023-24 to 2026-27. The program was announced as part of the France-Australia Bilateral Roadmap, which establishes a new and ambitious chapter in the bilateral relationship. Its three pillars – Defence and Security, Resilience and Climate Action, Education and Culture – advance our national and international interests. The objective of the program is to advance energy transition in the Indo-Pacific region, in Australia and in France. The program will ultimately support reductions in overall greenhouse gas emissions, support transitions to cleaner energy-based economies and contribute to bolstering bilateral relations between Australia and France. The intended outcomes of the program are to strengthen cooperation between Australian and French stakeholders on energy transition, in partnership with Indo-Pacific institutions; and deliver progress towards energy transition in these locations. Program priorities are: 1) to support energy transition in the Indo-Pacific region by addressing challenges to the deployment of energy efficiency, grid integration of renewable energy, electric mobility, energy storage and the use of green hydrogen and its derivatives in energy systems; 2) to find solutions to energy transition challenges in Australia, France and the Indo-Pacific region; 3) to ensure that activities are appropriately designed to address the various stages, needs and issues of the energy transition amongst Australian, French and Indo-Pacific partners 4) Achieve regional cooperation on cleaner, more efficient energy generation and use; and 5) leverage private sector investment in climate action. 

This is a closed, non-competitive grant. DFAT can only accept applications from Swinburne University. Organisations that are not Swinburne University are ineligible.  The eligible applicant was determined on the basis that it possesses substantial industry links and links to the French Government, French multinationals, and French institutions that will participate in this Centre and its activities. Swinburne University has world-leading strengths in the hydrogen economy, renewable energy generation systems, energy storage systems, future energy networks and supply chain decarbonisation. Swinburne University is at the forefront of energy transition and supply chain decarbonisation research, technologies, commercialisation, and industry engagement.   Swinburne Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pascale Quester is a French national who has been awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite in recognition of her contribution to higher education in both France and Australia.  Professor Quester has received France’s highest academic recognition, and held several visiting professorial appointments including at La Sorbonne, Paris II, ESSEC Business School, and the University of Nancy in France.  Swinburne University’s strong links with French academic institutions, including through Professor Quester’s connections and over two decades at top Australian tertiary education institutions, uniquely position Swinburne University to host FACET and implement this critical bilateral initiative between Australia and France.  DFAT considers that Swinburne could provide the specialised requirements of the grant activity and that there are no identifiable alternative providers in the market that fulfill these criteria.  The applicant must implement FACET with the University of Grenoble-Alpes and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CAE). 

$4,080,000.00

From $720,000.00 to $4,080,000.00

Submit your application to climateinnovation@dfat.gov.au by 5pm Friday 17 May 2024 AEST. Your application must provide all the information requested, address all eligibility and assessment criteria and include all necessary attachments. If you find an error in your application after submitting it, you should contact us immediately on climateinnovation@dfat.gov.au. You cannot change your application after the closing date and time. You should keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents. We will acknowledge that we have received your application within three working days. Contact us at climateinnovation@dfat.gov.au if you seek guidance around the application process or encounter submission issues.