The NSW Government is offering up to $30,000 in funding to help businesses develop and implement net zero plans. This is a great opportunity for liquor businesses to take steps towards reducing their carbon footprint and improving sustainability.
What does net zero mean?
Net zero refers to balancing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced with an equal amount removed from the atmosphere. For businesses, this means reducing emissions as much as possible and then offsetting any remaining emissions to achieve a net zero balance.
For liquor businesses, this could mean reducing energy use in production facilities, improving refrigeration efficiency, using sustainable packaging or minimising waste. It’s not just about being environmentally responsible – these changes can also reduce operational costs and improve brand reputation with increasingly eco-conscious consumers.
Net Zero Planning Grant details
These grants can be a maximum of $30,000 and used to cover up to 75% of the costs of external specialists completing new work.
Key action categories include:
- Strategy development – Creating a roadmap to reduce emissions
- Governance – Setting up systems to manage and report on sustainability efforts
- People and capability – Training staff on sustainability practices
- Data – Improving how you track and measure energy use and emissions
- Targets development – Setting realistic goals for emission reductions
- Net zero action planning – Outlining the specific steps needed to cut emissions
- Finance – Identifying funding opportunities and managing costs
- Stakeholder engagement – Collaborating with customers, suppliers, and team members
- Reporting – Showing progress and demonstrating commitment to sustainability
The grant cannot be used to cover CAPEX, equipment or technology feasibility assessments.
To be eligible, your business must:
- Be based in NSW
- Spend at least $200,000 on energy for a single site or $500,000 across multiple sites
- Not have received this grant before
The grant is open until 2 May, but applications are assessed as they come in, so early applications are recommended. Learn more and apply for a grant.