Up to 16 hybrid solar and battery projects could secure funding under the scheme announced on Monday by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The projects, which will generate up to five megawatts of electricity, must be ready for construction in 2027. The $100 million initiative, called the Distribution Connected Accelerator Program, will provide concessional loans to small and mid-sized renewable energy projects that have traditionally struggled to secure finance, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said. ''Australians know about rooftop solar and they know about big solar and wind farms,'' he said. ''Smaller, distribution-connected projects have a critical role to play because they can often move from development to operation significantly faster.''