The Victorian Government has announced the first round of grants awarded as part of its 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program.
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, announced six projects that will share in more than $6 million in funding to deliver 25 neighbourhood batteries across 20 towns, totaling more than 4.2MWh hours of new storage capacity.
Ms D’Ambrosio said “We’re building 100 neighbourhood batteries across Victoria to make sure all families can share the savings from the massive uptake of solar.
“We’re making Victoria the home of batteries to deliver storage to soak up renewable energy, improve the network, drive down bills and spread the benefits of local renewable energy even further.”
The government said that neighbourhood batteries return power to the hands of local communities, giving them a secure energy supply by soaking up cheap and clean renewable energy when it is plentiful and dispatching it when it is needed most.
The government also said that community batteries enable households to generate and consume more renewable energy locally, helping to drive down power bills.
Projects delivered by the Victorian Government’s $42 million 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program are designed to improve local energy network reliability and remove constraints, keeping the lights on during power outages and allowing for more households to take up rooftop solar.
The largest battery project in the first round is Mondo Phillip Island, with seven 100kW/250kWh batteries to be installed across the island delivering 1,750kWh storage.
The government said the project is set to protect network reliability and deliver financial benefits for locals through a community dividend payment.
Four batteries are set to be installed at Queenscliff, delivering 1,000 kWh of storage. As part of the project, an annual community dividend will be collected from the battery to support further renewable projects through the Queenscliffe Climate Action Now group.
Other batteries to be delivered under the program include:
- Indigo Power to deliver one battery at Wodonga totalling 200kWh storage
- Totally Renewable to deliver one battery at Yackandandah totalling 200kWh storage
- GV Community Energy to deliver two batteries, one at Tatura and one at Wangaratta, totalling 216kWh storage
- AusNet to deliver ten batteries in Victoria’s east and northeast totalling 850kWh storage
The next round of applications for the 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program will open in August 2024.
Victorian Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale, said, “We’re delivering a battery on Phillip Island to soak up local renewable energy when it is plentiful and dispatch it when it’s needed most.”
