Canberra is set to get three new community batteries thanks to $1.5 million in funding from the Federal Government. The batteries will be installed in Casey, Dickson and Fadden by 31 March 2025.
The Evoenergy-owned batteries are expected to produce 160 kilowatts (kW) of power and store 400kW- hours of energy. Evoenergy will design and maintain the systems.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government and Evoenergy will collaborate on delivery of the community battery rollout.
The grant funding is part of the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program. It aims to deploy batteries across the nation to support lower electricity bills and emissions, enable excess solar storage, and reduce strain on the grid.
“Delivering more storage enables more households to reliably access the cost-of-living relief offered by solar,” Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said.
“We committed to deploy 400 community batteries to help households access cheaper, cleaner energy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr added that these batteries will increase storage capacity in the electricity network and allow more households to connect rooftop solar.
“Since 2020, 100 per cent of electricity in the ACT has come from renewable sources,” he said.
Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh highlighted community batteries’ ability to strengthen social cohesion and sustainability.
He said community batteries generate a positive charge, powering not just devices but also the spirit of cooperation.
Member for Bean David Smith noted the electorate’s strong rooftop solar uptake.
“The residents of Bean have voted with their roofs and embraced solar,” Smith said. “This battery makes the grid more reliable and efficient.”
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