{"id":"F2025L00275","name":"Industry Research and Development (Accelerated Connections Fund Program) Instrument 2025","slug":"industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442767,"registerId":"F2025L00275-fast-fetch-1775957708576","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Industry Research and Development (Accelerated Connections Fund Program) Instrument 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nIndustry Research and Development (Accelerated Connections Fund Program) Instrument 2025\n\nI, Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, as delegate of the Minister for Industry and Science, make the following instrument.\n\nDated  1 March 2025  \n\nChris Bowen\n\nMinister for Climate Change and Energy\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Prescribed program\n\n6  Specified legislative power\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Industry Research and Development (Accelerated Connections Fund Program) Instrument 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered.\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 33 of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Industry Research and Development Act 1986.\n\nAEMO means the Australian Energy Market Operator (ABN 94 072 010 327).\n\nKyoto Protocol means the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, done at Kyoto on 11 December 1997, as in force for Australia from time to time.\n\nNote: The Protocol is in Australian Treaty Series 2008 No. 2 ([2008] ATS 2) and could in 2025 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\nNEM means the National Electricity Market, as defined in the National Electricity Law.\n\nParis Agreement means the Paris Agreement, done at Paris on 12 December 2015, as in force for Australia from time to time.\n\nNote: The Agreement is in Australian Treaty Series 2016 No. 24 ([2016] ATS 24) and could in 2025 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\nProgram: see subsection 5(1).\n\nTNSP means a Transmission Network Service Provider, as defined in the National Electricity Rules.\n\nUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change means the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, done at New York on 9 May 1992, as in force for Australia from time to time.\n\nNote: The Convention is in Australian Treaty Series 1994 No. 2 ([1994] ATS 2) and could in 2025 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n5  Prescribed program\n\n (1) For the purposes of subsection 33(1) of the Act, the Accelerated Connections Fund Program (the program) is prescribed.\n\n (2) The program provides a closed non-competitive grant to AEMO, in partnership with TNSPs, to expedite the grid connection process for new critical renewable generation and clean storage projects in the NEM.\n\n(3) The objective of the program is to expedite the connection process for new critical renewable generation and clean storage projects in the NEM. The program’s intended outcomes are to enhance reliability in the NEM, reduce wholesale energy prices, and contribute to emissions reduction and the decarbonisation of the electricity generation sectors by contributing toward the Government’s target of 82% renewable electricity in the NEM by 2030.\n\n6  Specified legislative power\n\n  For the purposes of subsection 33(3) of the Act, the power of the Parliament to make laws with respect to external affairs (within the meaning of paragraph 51(xxix) of the Constitution) is specified, as it relates to measures to give effect to Australia’s obligations under one or more of the following:\n\n1.                 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, particularly Article 4;\n2.                 the Kyoto Protocol, particularly Article 10;\n3.                 the Paris Agreement, particularly Article 4.\n\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument prescribes a specific program under subsection 33(1) of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (see s5(1)) and identifies the external‑affairs power as a supporting legislative head (s6). It does not amend the Act or expand its statutory objects; it narrowly designates the Accelerated Connections Fund Program and its recipient framework (AEMO with TNSPs). Therefore it does not change the Act’s scope but exercises a delegated prescription power to establish a specified program."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, focused measure with limited text and no operational rules or funding amounts set out (see s5(1)–(3)) — reduces statutory complexity but shifts detail to administrative implementation.","Creates a closed, non‑competitive grant to a governmental body (AEMO) in partnership with TNSPs (s5(2)) — concentrates benefit and decision‑making, raising questions about accountability and procurement transparency.","Relies on delegated legislative authority under the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (s3 refers to s33 of the Act) — requires cross‑reference to the parent Act for full legal effect.","Specifies external affairs power tied to international instruments (s6 citing UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement) — introduces constitutional basis considerations and potential legal framing beyond domestic policy.","Multiple defined terms link to external instruments and other laws (s4 definitions referencing NEM, TNSP, treaties) — increases interpretive dependencies on other statutory and treaty texts.","Limited description of implementation arrangements or eligibility criteria (no timetable, conditions, or reporting obligations in the instrument) — operational complexity deferred to agencies and increases administrative discretion."],"plain_english_summary":"**Accelerated Connections Fund Program** prescribes a closed, non‑competitive grant to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), working with Transmission Network Service Providers, to speed up grid connections for new renewable generation and storage in the National Electricity Market. The instrument states the program’s objectives and intended outcomes (faster connections, improved reliability, lower wholesale prices, emissions reduction and contribution to an 82% NEM renewables target by 2030) and invokes external‑affairs treaty powers as a legal basis."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains tightly scoped to its original purpose. It establishes a single, specific grant program with clear boundaries: funding AEMO to accelerate renewable energy grid connections. There is no scope creep or expansion beyond this defined objective."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument — only 6 sections","Minimal defined terms (10 definitions, mostly straightforward proper nouns like 'AEMO' and 'NEM')","No nested exceptions or conditional logic","Single operational provision (section 5) with clear purpose and outcomes","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Act and standard treaty citations","Straightforward constitutional grounding in external affairs power"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument creates the Accelerated Connections Fund Program: a closed, non‑competitive government grant to AEMO to speed technical and regulatory connections of new solar, wind and battery projects to the National Electricity Market. TNSPs partner with AEMO; developers gain faster access and consumers may see lower prices and better reliability.\n\nThe program supports Australia’s 82% renewable-by‑2030 goal and is tied to international climate obligations, providing constitutional cover for Commonwealth funding."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025","history":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/industry-research-and-development-accelerated-connections-fund-program-instrument-2025/documents"}}