Deadline: 7-Jul-21
The Minerals research advancing Western Australia is accepting applications for Research Grant Funding Program to reduce the carbon footprint, lower overall energy costs and improve the energy efficiency of the Western Australian mining sector through harnessing collective efforts, enabling decarbonisation to become an opportunity for the sector, not a cost.
Mineral resources will play a critical role in supporting the energy transition to enable the international community to achieve net zero emissions. Western Australia is well-placed to take advantage of this accelerating global demand.
Priority Themes
MRIWA has identified three priority themes representing cross cutting issues in the mining sector which would benefit from a collaborative approach to addressing the Challenge.
- Data Driven Decisions
- Mapping emissions across the mine to metal value chain (from Scope 1+2+3) to evaluate effectiveness of initiatives
- Digital models to assess options and build business cases
- Exemplar mine sites to create capacity in industry and amongst stakeholders
- Industry framework and common language for transparency, benchmarking and best practice
- Mining and Processing Technology
- Redesigning processes to optimise use of renewables and mitigate impact of intermittent power supply
- Increased efficiency of material movement
- Energy Utilisation
- Integration of new technology including electrification, hydrogen, heat recovery, biomass and biodiesel
- Increased efficiency and effectiveness of energy storage and use.
Funding Information
- A total of up to $1 million in MRIWA co-funding is available in this competitive funding round, to be awarded to one or more research projects.
Research Grant Funding
A total of $1 million in MRIWA co-funding is available for allocation through this competitive funding round.
There is no minimum grant amount. The maximum MRIWA contribution is $1 million over the life of the project, which may be allocated to a single research proposal, or divided between several research proposals.
MRIWA provides funding for research projects through two main streams:
- MRIWA as the primary grant funding body and grant administering organisation; and
- MRIWA as a funding partner on an application submitted to another research funding body e.g. the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Program or Co-operative Research Centres.
All requests for funding must meet the minimum requirements for assessment prior to consideration by the MRIWA Board.
While research funded by MRIWA does not have to be completed in Western Australia, Applications must demonstrate how the research will address the medium to long-term knowledge and technology needs of Western Australia’s minerals industry and in particular for this funding round, how it can address challenge(s) to achieving net zero emissions in Western Australia’s mining industry.
Eligibility Criteria
Research Activity
Mineral’s research, is defined in the MRIWA Act as the:
- investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge relating to; or
- systematic work drawing on existing knowledge that is directed to the development of, any process, technique, method, design or apparatus to locate, extract, transport or market minerals.
Participating Organisations
Each Application must include, and maintain for the duration of the Project:
- a Lead Organisation; and
- a Sponsor, or Sponsors
Inclusion of organisations from the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector on an Application will be highly regarded.
The Application may include additional Participating Organisations, including:
- Research Organisations; and
- Other Organisations.
For more information, visit https://www.mriwa.wa.gov.au/challenges/net-zero-emission-mining/