Category: 3. Business

In the age of AI, prioritizing the brain can strengthen the human capacities essential for well-being, connection and progress. As AI reshapes work, competitiveness will depend on how effectively human and machine strengths complement one another. Individuals, workforces and societies should explore how to evolve their strategies to harness these shared strengths – otherwise they risk slower growth and diminished opportunity.

This report makes the case for investing in the brain health and brain skills of people of all ages and outlines how companies and countries can place human potential at the centre of economic strategy. It introduces five levers for action and offers a roadmap for stakeholders to build stronger brains and prepare for the future. Through these efforts, there is an opportunity to promote long-term growth and a healthier society by safeguarding brain health, fostering brain skills and studying, investing in and mobilizing brain capital.

• Round 4 of the Clean Energy Future Fund
  open from today
• Individual
  grants available from $100,000 to $4 million
• Program
  supports projects that deliver significant emissions reductions and community
  benefits

The Cook Government
has launched a new round of grants to support innovative clean energy projects
that help to diversify and decarbonise the Western Australian economy.

A total of $9 million is available in Round 4 of the Clean Energy Future
Fund (CEFF) with individual grants ranging from $100,000 to $4 million.

Energy
and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sandersonmade the announcement during a visit to Electric Power
Conversions Australia, a local business that previously received a CEFF grant
to retrofit a diesel mining haul truck to full battery electric.

The Clean
Energy Future Fund supports innovative projects that test and demonstrate new
clean energy technologies in WA and enable wider adoption.

The government
has invested $37 million since the CEFF since it was first launched in 2020.

Priorities for
this round include supporting projects with demonstrated benefits to First Nations
peoples, green exports and local manufacturing, increasing renewable energy
supply and resilience of energy networks, long duration energy storage and
enhancing productivity through electrification.

The Clean
Energy Future Fund is administered by the Department of Water and Environmental
Regulation, with support from Energy Policy WA.

For more
information, visit: www.wa.gov.au/ceff

Comments
attributed to Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:

“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.

“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.

“Investing in
clean energy is critical to decarbonising our economy and securing WA’s
position as a leader in the transition to net zero.”

Hauliers and fleet operators will access discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks thanks to an additional £18 million announced by the government today (6 January 2026) to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until March 2026.

The move is part of a £318 million plan for green freight, which is backing British businesses by slashing upfront costs on new lorries and helping businesses to access the lower running costs. This is all part of the government’s plan to reduce emissions while cutting costs, sparking growth and creating jobs as the sector moves to the technology of the future.

Similar to the government’s Electric Car Grant, which has saved over 45,000 drivers up to £3,750 when making the switch, the Plug-in-Truck Grant enables lorry operators to access savings of up to £120,000 when buying a new electric truck.

New grant levels mean: 

• smaller trucks (4.25t to 12t) could save up to £20,000  
• mid-sized trucks (12t to 18t) up to £60,000 
• larger trucks (18t to 26t) up to £80,000 
• and the largest lorries (26t and over) up to £120,000

Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, Keir Mather, said:

We’re backing British businesses to go green by making electric lorries more affordable, helping hauliers to make the switch whilst turbocharging growth, investment and jobs in the sector.

Our proposals will provide the certainty the industry has been calling for so that Britain becomes the best place for green investment.

The funding is set to increase zero emission truck sales to support delivery of the UK’s climate obligations and comes as the government has already invested over £120 million as part of the zero emission heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and infrastructure demonstrator (ZEHID) programme to roll out more zero emission lorries on UK roads.

Backed by this fund, companies like Amazon and Marks & Spencer have already rolled out more electric delivery trucks on UK roads, with ZEHID rolling out nearly 300 zero emission HGVs by March 2026.

Day-to-day running costs can already be lower for electric lorries compared to their diesel counterparts, but upfront vehicle costs are typically higher. The increase to the Plug-in Truck Grant will help businesses access those daily savings, cutting costs for businesses as well as emissions.

John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager,  Amazon UK:

Amazon welcomes the government’s continued commitment to supporting the electrification of commercial fleets. The UK will be home to the largest number of electric heavy goods trucks in Amazon’s global transportation network and the first of our record-breaking order of eHGVs are already on the road.

We’re investing to help the UK decarbonise and meet our goal of being net zero carbon by 2040. We look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure the growth of more sustainable logistics.

Alongside increased funding, the government will also launch a consultation on the regulatory roadmap to phase out sales of new non-zero emission HGVs by 2040, giving industry the certainty it needs to invest and plan for the future. 

By consulting closely with industry, the government will ensure the road to net zero is one that works for businesses and supports jobs, growth and increased investment.