Victoria, the second-most populous state in Australia, is leading the way in empowering communities with neighbourhood batteries. This innovative technology is helping to reduce the reliance on the electricity grid and promote sustainable energy usage.
By expanding the capacity of renewable energy battery storage in the suburbs, the Andrews Labor Government is helping more Victorians control their energy bills.
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Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio unveiled the Tarneit neighbourhood battery last Monday, which received $800,000 as part of the $10.9 million Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
D’Ambrosio said, “Neighbourhood batteries are helping Victorians be part of the renewable energy revolution by storing power from rooftop solar during the day and deploying in the evening.”
“Tarneit has some of the highest levels of rooftop solar in Australia and a new neighbourhood battery will give them access to a secure cheap renewable energy supply right at the end of the street.”
According to Member for Tarneit Dylan Wight, “There are many new families moving to Tarneit and having access to a neighbourhood battery will help to lower emissions and reduce power bills.”
Two more neighbourhood batteries, including a 120kW/390kWh battery and off-street EV charge-point installed outside a community centre in Richmond and a 150kW/300kWh system at Library at the Dock, are on the way.
The number of households having access to renewable energy storage will be tripled thanks to the government’s additional $42 million investment in Victoria, which will be used to create 100 more neighbourhood batteries.
Victoria’s neighbourhood batteries are a crucial step in achieving the nation-leading renewable energy storage targets of 2.6 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and 6.3 GW by 2035. This amount of renewable energy is needed to power about half of Victoria’s current homes at their peak energy use and reduce emissions by 75 to 80% by that year.
Tarneit is powered up
Tarneit, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria is now home to one of the state’s first neighbourhood batteries. This innovative technology is helping to reduce the reliance on the electricity grid and promote sustainable energy usage in the community.
The battery installation by Powercor was completed last Monday at Gleneagles Reserve in Tarneit. The battery will store 120kW (or 360kWh) of energy and directly serve about 170 customers.
A large battery, usually the size of an electric vehicle like a Nissan Leaf, connected to the same powerlines as the home is known as a neighbourhood battery. The battery stores solar energy during the day so the community can use it at night.
Wyndham City Mayor, Cr Susan McIntyre, said: “Not everyone who wants to use solar power can afford a personal battery. Providing a battery like this for the community to share takes the burden off individual households and allows more people to take part in using renewable energy for a sustainable future.”
A mural was commissioned to be painted on the battery and an existing transformer at the location by the artist, Jess Kease of 23rd Key. The artwork celebrates the potential for renewables to maintain the natural environment by depicting flora, native creatures, and wildlife in bright colours. To commission this piece of art, Wyndham City Council was pleased to provide best practice processes and curatorial support.
Left to right: Powercor CEO Tim Rourke, Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio, Iramoo Ward Councillor, Peter Maynard, Member for Tarneit Dylan Wight
The battery will store energy for use by residents, allowing more people to use renewable energy for a sustainable future.
Powercor connected the energy storage system with a 120 kW/360 kWh capacity
Some of the Powercor network’s highest rates of solar connections are in Tarneit and the nearby suburbs.
More than 13,800 consumers, or 42% of all residents of the area, have connected solar to the network.
The neighbourhood battery will improve the network reliability, meaning fewer outages and disruptions, and will also provide a way for future solar consumers to connect to the network.
There will be no increase in network charges as a result of this project, and over time, batteries will help reduce network charges for all customers, by reducing the need for more costly network upgrade works.
Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI)
The initiative will help understand what role neighbourhood-scale batteries can play in Victoria’s transitioning electricity system and demonstrate a range of benefits for Victorian communities, energy users and electricity networks.
With up to $2.3 million of grants available for the development of business cases and the implementation of neighbourhood batteries, the third round of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative is now open under the Labor Government.
Key dates for round 3
Applications open on 27 February 2023
Applications close on 21 April 2023
Previous rounds
Grant Round 2 – closed; recipients announced on 31 October 2022
Grant Round 1 – closed; recipients announced on 20 August 2022
Victoria's first ever inner urban community battery
The unveiling of Fitzroy North’s first neighbourhood battery owned by the local community took place on June 5, 2022. The NBI was utilised to deliver the battery project.
The battery will store any extra rooftop solar energy and deliver nearby homes with locally sourced renewable energy.
For the 110kW/284kWh battery installation, the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative granted the Yarra Energy Foundation $800,000. A mural by Hayden Dewar, titled “Set the controls to harness the sun,” has been painted on the battery.
‘Set the controls to harness the sun’ by artist Hayden Dewar
Exciting development and a positive step towards more sustainable energy
The installation of this new neighbourhood battery in Tarneit is expected to support the growth of rooftop solar installations in the area. With the increasing popularity of rooftop solar in Victoria, more and more households are looking for ways to store excess energy generated from their solar panels.
The neighbourhood battery solves this problem, allowing homeowners to store excess energy and use it during high demand or blackouts. This not only helps to reduce the strain on the electricity grid but also allows homeowners to save money on their energy bills by using their stored energy during peak hours.
Installing the Tarneit neighbourhood battery is also helping to create new job opportunities in the renewable energy sector. The installation, maintenance, and operation of the battery require skilled workers, which is helping to drive employment growth in the sector.
The installation of the neighbourhood battery in Tarneit is an exciting development for the community and Victoria. It is a positive step towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, and serves as an example for other communities looking to promote renewable energy sources. By investing in innovative technologies like the neighbourhood battery, we can create a more sustainable and self-sufficient future for ourselves and future generations.
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Images&Sources: Victoria State Government-Premier of Victoria & Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Windham City’ Facebook & Website, Powercor’s Website
