The Western Australian government has launched the fourth round of the Clean Energy Future Fund (CEFF), offering up to $9 million in new grants to help drive innovation and reduce emissions across Western Australia.
Applications opened on 6 January 2026, with individual grants ranging from $100,000 to $4 million.
The fund aims to support projects that deliver significant emissions reductions while creating community benefits and advancing the state’s decarbonisation goals.
Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson announced the new funding round during a visit to Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA) — a Perth-based company that previously received CEFF support to retrofit a diesel mining haul truck to full battery electric.
The project has been recognised as a major step toward lower-emission mining operations in WA’s resources sector.
“Western Australia is committed to driving innovation in clean energy technologies that deliver real emissions reductions and community benefits. This fund is helping local projects turn ideas into action,” Minister Sanderson said.
The CEFF was established in 2020 to accelerate the uptake of clean energy solutions, new technologies, and low-emission industrial practices. Since its launch, the state government has committed $37 million in funding to a diverse range of projects that demonstrate potential to scale or replicate across other industries and regions.
According to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, which administers the fund with support from Energy Policy WA, Round 4 will focus on projects that align with several new priorities.
These include initiatives with demonstrated benefits to First Nations peoples, developments that expand WA’s green export capabilities and local manufacturing, and projects that increase renewable energy supply and improve the resilience of power networks.
Other key areas of focus include long-duration energy storage projects and efforts to enhance productivity through electrification.
Such priorities reflect the government’s broader transition strategy, which emphasises innovation, local benefits, and industry collaboration.
Minister Sanderson said the program has already proven its value across a range of successful initiatives.
“It has supported a variety of clean energy projects including the electrification of mine haul trucks, replacement of diesel generators with battery storage, pumped hydroelectric storage and re-deployable solar power plants,” she said.
The Minister emphasised that this new funding round would build on the program’s track record of fostering real-world decarbonisation outcomes.
“Investing in clean energy is critical to decarbonising our economy and securing WA’s position as a leader in the transition to net zero,” she said.
The CEFF model encourages partnerships between government, industry, and research sectors, helping to integrate emerging technologies into practical, commercial-scale operations.
With Western Australia’s energy transition accelerating — particularly in mining, transport, and manufacturing — the fund is viewed as a vital mechanism for enabling early-stage innovation and reducing technology risk.
Past CEFF-funded projects have ranged from renewable microgrids in regional towns to industrial-scale storage solutions and hybrid energy systems for remote operations.
These initiatives have helped demonstrate how WA can leverage its natural and technological assets to support both emissions reduction and economic diversification.
By emphasising collaboration and demonstration, the fund has positioned Western Australia at the forefront of national efforts to commercialise clean energy technologies suited to local conditions.
“Each round of CEFF funding helps WA businesses and communities explore new pathways for low-carbon growth,” Minister Sanderson said during her announcement.
Applications for Round 4 are now open, and eligible organisations are encouraged to apply.
More information on eligibility criteria, assessment guidelines, and the application process is available online at www.wa.gov.au/ceff.
