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Neighbourhood Batteries Driving Down Bills

01 November 2022

The Andrews Labor Government is building neighbourhood batteries across the state, storing renewable energy to slash emissions and power bills.

Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio today announced two new neighbourhood batteries in Richmond and Docklands.

The Labor Government is accelerating its $10.9 million neighbourhood batteries program, maximising the broad uptake of rooftop solar to store cheap, clean renewable energy at a local level and deliver it back to its host community.

As part of Round 2 of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI), the Labor Government is investing $1.5 million for two neighbourhood batteries in Richmond and Docklands.

Neighbourhood-scale batteries increase energy stability and enable the grid to support more rooftop solar by storing generated electricity during the day and discharging it back at night.

Yarra Energy Foundation will deliver a 120kW/390kWh battery and off-street EV charge-point installed at the Burnley Backyard, a Council community centre in Richmond. City of Melbourne will install a 150kW/300kWh system at Library at the Dock, the first in a planned 5-megawatt (MW) network of neighbourhood-scale batteries.

The batteries will support the Labor Government’s Energy Storage Targets, reaching a massive 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy storage capacity by 2030, with an increased target of 6.3 GW of storage by 2035.

A third round of the NBI will be opened in early 2023, with more details to be released shortly. Round 2 projects will commence in 2022 and be completed by June 2024.

For more information, visit energy.vic.gov.au/grants/neighbourhood-battery-initiativeExternal Link .

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio

“Neighbourhood batteries capture more power from rooftop solar during the day and feed it back in the evening, sharing the cost savings of solar with local communities.”

"The Andrews Labor Government is delivering batteries in communities around the state, taking us closer to our Energy Storage Targets, cutting costs for communities and helping us halve emissions by 2030."

Reviewed 01 November 2022

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