Australians have always been a practical bunch, and when it comes to our country’s energy problems many are not waiting around for the Government to act.
Instead, they are taking matters into their own hands by installing rooftop solar with home solar battery storage systems. In some instances residents are going further – by building a ”community virtual solar battery“.
This is what hundreds of Canberrans have done recently in the nation’s capital, with the help of the ACT Government. And by doing so, they have reaped a substantial windfall on the energy they feed back into the grid.
What is a community virtual solar battery?
A virtual solar big battery is a means for a community to improve their electricity security and reduce power costs. Battery owners work in unison by selling stored energy back to the grid, all at the same time. Owners can maximise the benefits by doing this at peak time when electricity demand is highest.
This type of system provides multiple benefits. As well as reduced emissions, the benefits include lower bills for households, less risk of blackouts, and improved energy security. And by selling excess power to the grid, system owners can reduce their energy costs further.
Canberra and the A.C.T. leads the way
An example happened in Canberra last month, when hundreds of residents synchronised their energy storage batteries to feed power to the grid at the same time. Residents who did so earned themselves a FiT (Feed-in-Tariff) of $1 per kwh – which is many times the going rate.
The move has been helped along by the ACT government’s Next Generation Energy Storage program. The program sets aside $25 million in funding for energy storage installations. Grants will roll out over the next three years, and are expected to enable more than 5,000 households and businesses to install energy storage batteries.
So far the program has been providing discounts of around 24% for purchasers of storage batteries, according to an article in the Canberra Times.
Installations of energy storage systems will allow many Canberrans to use stored power when the sun is not shining. It is also expected to lower the pressure on the grid at peak times and reduce power bills for households. A win-win situation all round!
