Jemena has announced the installation of four new community batteries in Victoria’s Alphington, Bellfield, Coburg, and Flemington.
Jemena Electricity Networks has been granted up to $2 million in funding from the Australian Government‘s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program to deliver the community batteries.
The community batteries will store excess electricity generated by rooftop solar during the day and make it available to the broader community during peak nighttime hours. This implies that all consumers connected to the local network, not just those with rooftop solar, will have access to renewable energy. The batteries will also aid in grid stabilisation by absorbing extra solar during the day and lowering demand on the system at peak hours late in the day.
Jemena Networks Executive General Manager Shaun Reardon said, “Our customers have told us they want access to clean, renewable energy. By installing these community batteries within the Jemena Electricity Network we are making renewable energy a reality for many of our customers who don’t have rooftop solar, such as those who are renting.”
“We will now work with local councils and residents to confirm the specific locations of each battery and we will engage with residents throughout the project. This will include written progress updates and in-person events where residents will have the option to ask questions and provide feedback,” Reardon stated.
Each battery will have around 360kWh of storage capacity, equivalent to the energy utilised by approximately 150 homes for two hours at night.
The installation of the community batteries, according to Reardon, will expand on Jemena’s initiative to allow more individuals to export solar energy back into the grid through its electricity network.
“The amount of solar energy that can be exported back into the grid within the Jemena Electricity Network has grown by 30 percent from levels seen in 2020. This was achieved through an optimisation program aimed at ensuring the network is equipped to host additional solar energy with no impact to the power supply customers rely on each day,” Reardon said.
He stated that as solar adoption grows in the following years, Jemena will continue to invest in new technologies, such as community batteries, to ensure grid stability.
“This is part of our work to build the energy system of the future; one which supports our customers on their decarbonisation journey, gives our customers choice and control over how they use and access the grid, and delivers energy reliably and safely,” he added.
The installation of the batteries will begin in 2024. According to Reardon, Jemena anticipates the batteries to be operational by mid-2024.
