We’re taking part in a few community battery trials across Australia right now, and one of them is in Bungarribee Blacktown, Sydney. The residents in this area are ideal candidates to welcome Western Sydney’s first community battery – 95% of homes have rooftop solar.
This community is leading the way in rooftop solar, and residents will now be able to store excess solar energy to use later, without having to purchase and install their own home battery. Batteries store excess renewable energy generation and provide power during peak demand periods, and also help to manage variations in renewable energy – like when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing.
Hey neighbour
Expected to run for at least 12 months across the Endeavour Energy network, the battery trial will involve 10 batteries with a total capacity of up to 640kW, serving around 350 customers.
The trial will look at how community batteries can support the energy transition and investigate the benefits to customers and the wider community.
Customers can rent a portion of the battery to virtually store and access neighbourhood solar energy, helping to reduce their household energy costs when they take part. The stored energy can be used by participating homes for a small fee, helping to manage demand in peak periods.
This inclusive approach will empower all residents – those with and without rooftop solar, to experience the benefits of battery storage, including bringing their energy bills down and reducing their carbon footprint.
Battery storage: the future of energy
As Australia transitions to a lower carbon energy system and we increase renewables in the energy grid, we need to increase battery storage across the country. This will allow us to capture excess renewable energy generated during the day to use later and help to stabilise our energy grid. That’s why batteries are a key part of Australia’s future energy mix.
And because more and more Aussies will use battery storage in the future, bringing down the cost of batteries for everyone is key. That’s why community batteries, just like the new Bungarribee Blacktown battery, are so important.
Eligible Bungarribee residents can register to take part in the Bungarribee Blacktown battery trial.
