19 February 2024
1.Battery recycling - Cwlth grants & funding programs
Over the past week, ABRI has received information on two Cwlth funding opportunities potentially available for the battery recycling sector. This is in addition to the information provided last week on Queensland Government funding opportunities.
New Commonwealth funding opportunities:
International Partnerships in Critical Minerals - between $2 to $20 million in funding for early to mid stage critical mineral projects to grow end to end supply chains with Australia’s international partners. Battery recycling projects are eligible and applications need to be submitted by 13 March 2024.
National Reconstruction Fund proposal submission is an information gathering step to understand investment proposals and the potential role for the Fund. Detailed information is available at the link in this article and it is recommended reading before submitting a proposal. The Fund is a finance program and does not provide grants.
2. Export opportunities - recycled materials, hydromet, containers, tracking & tracing
Reminder - the Export Council of Australia is running an online roundtable session for ABRI members at 3pm (AEST) Thursday 21 February to explain export opportunities and options for accessing markets in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
This session is looking at all exportable materials and technologies the Australian battery recycling sector is generating - recycling critical minerals, hydromet, containers, tracking and tracing, etc
3. ABRI 2024 AGM - Notice of Meeting
The ABRI AGM will be held online on Thursday 14 March commencing at 2pm (AEST). Agenda, voting proxy form and background on voting processes. Please register to attend the AGM.
The AGM is an opportunity to hear from the President, Treasurer and CEO on ABRI 2023 activities and 2024 priorities to support members and industry development.
At this AGM, members will also be invited to vote on the election of directors for four Executive Committee positions which are up for renewal. There are a total of eight positions on the Executive Committee. Once nominations have closed the list of proposed candidates including any renominations will be circulated to ABRI members ahead of the AGM.
The Executive Committee play sets strategy and ensures ABRI work is professionally and technically on target. It is the input and expertise of ABRI members that makes ABRI a strong industry voice. Enclosed in the nomination form is the EXCO Roles and Responsibilities.
If you would like to nominate, please complete and return the nomination form to the ABRI Secretariat by 1 March February 2022. Feel call ABRI CEO, Katharine Hole, if you would like to find out more - 0488 216 750.
Please note: ONLY PAID UP MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO NOMINATE.
4. Automotive workshop future readiness for EVs
Over 15 companies joined the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) presentation on automotive workshop future readiness. Lesley Yates, Director Government Relations and Advocacy, presented the results from a survey of automotive workshops in July/August 2023 to determine EV readiness. The survey looked at four categories – management, tools, skills and workshop design (e.g. EV specialist workspaces) – to determine readiness. AAAA’s key takeaways:
One in ten workshops are Future Ready, with many others well on their way. Importantly, many of those that aren’t investing are not rejectors, but are instead waiting till it makes more commercial sense.
Workshops that are investing in Future Readiness are prioritising the skills and equipment required to create a safe and productive working environment for their technicians.
While many workshops have high levels of training, tools, and equipment in place, they acknowledge they do have more to learn about servicing and repairing hybrid and electric vehicles
ABRI Member Events
21 Feb – online (3-4pm AEDT) - Export Council of Australia web based roundtable to explore ABRI member needs on ways to promote the Australian battery recycling industry to investment partners in the Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Opportunities include the establishment of a consortium for research and commercialisation, and direct investment into individual Australian businesses. Registration
14 Mar – online (2-3pm AEDT) - 2024 ABRI Annual General Meeting. Registration
15 Aug Sydney – 2024 ABRI Battery Recycling & Manufacturing Summit