A South Australian retirement village has eliminated electricity costs at its community centre after installing a large-scale battery energy storage system, providing a blueprint for how retirement communities can shield residents from rising energy prices.
Woodbridge Retirement Village, a not-for-profit community established in 1979, has installed a 100 kilowatt-hour all-in-one battery energy storage system to offset electricity costs at its community centre, which serves more than 300 residents.
The project comes as energy prices continue to place pressure on households and community facilities across Australia. At Woodbridge, annual electricity costs for the community centre, including the operation of a heated pool and spa, have more than doubled since 2021, increasing from around $21,000 to an estimated $45,000 in 2026.
According to Paul Thorne, Chief Executive Officer at Woodbridge, the battery-backed solar system is expected to allow savings to be redirected into resident services while helping contain maintenance costs.
“Rising electricity costs are a major concern for our residents, the majority of whom are on an age pension or part pension,” Thorne said.
“The increasing cost of electricity was putting upward pressure on residents’ maintenance fees.”
“By investing in solar energy storage, we’re helping our residents live their best, independent lives.”
With an average resident age of 84, Woodbridge’s board made energy independence a priority, investing in a long-term solution to reduce exposure to volatile electricity prices.
The installation also provides real-time monitoring of energy generation, storage and consumption through the SolaX Power Australia Cloud platform. Residents can access performance data and track the impact of the system on energy savings.
Joey Zhang, General Manager at SolaX Power Australia, shared that the project highlights the growing importance of energy resilience for retirement villages and aged care facilities, many of which operate energy-intensive services around the clock.
“Energy costs don’t discriminate, but they hit hardest for people on fixed incomes,” Zhang said.
“What Woodbridge has done is take back control, with the savings going straight back into the services that matter to residents.”
