The Andrews Labor Government is using neighbourhood batteries to store solar energy to assist Victorians save money on their power bills, lower their living costs, and reduce emissions. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D'Ambrosio marked World Environment Day today by launching a new award programme for neighbourhood batteries worth more than $2.3 million, accelerating the renewable energy transition in Victoria's communities.
The new grants program builds on Victoria’s first community battery in Fitzroy North, the first of many inner-urban, community-led neighbourhood battery projects to be funded through the Labour Governments Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
Unveiled today, the battery will soak up excess rooftop solar and supply surrounding homes with local renewable energy. The project has a sustainable commercial model with the potential for future community ownership
The Yarra Energy Foundation received $800,000 from the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative for the 110kW/284kWh battery system. The battery has been decorated by a mural entitled “Set the controls to harness the sun” by artist Hayden Dewar.
The Government has invested almost $11 million in the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative with nearly $4 million in grants already invested to pilot the role neighbourhood batteries will play in Victoria’s transitioning electricity system. Batteries are already being built in Tarneit, Phillip Island and Yackandandah.
Neighbourhood batteries store excess energy produced by solar panels on local homes during the day and can then provide energy back to the community when people turn the lights on at night.
Round 2 of the NBI program is now open for applications to implement neighbourhood scale batteries in communities across Victoria.
Grants are open to a broad range of organisations will prioritise projects which focus on equity of access to affordable renewable energy, for example to renters or apartment dwellers without access to solar panels.
