Ausgrid launches the first of many planned community-based batteries to harness renewable energy
Ausgrid has unveiled a community battery in Beacon Hill, which will harness and store solar power from local homes, providing bill savings and allowing more renewable energy into the grid.
The community battery works by allowing local residents to store their excess solar power, and is the first of its kind on Australia’s east coast.
The launch of the community battery marks the start of a two year trial being run by Ausgrid, that aims to transform the way solar energy is stored, reduce resident’s hip-pocket costs and cost effectively increase the amount of clean energy that goes into the grid.
Ausgrid CEO Richard Gross welcomed NSW Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean and Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan to the unveiling yesterday.
“This is an exciting milestone for Ausgrid and the first step in our community solar battery project which we know can benefit customers by keeping downward pressure on energy prices by reducing peak demand, and supporting the use of renewable energy,” Mr Gross said.
“Put simply, a community battery allows multiple households within a certain radius to ‘share’ a storage system for the excess energy generated by solar panels. This can save households thousands of dollars on the upfront cost of an individual battery, and allow them to effectively use more of the solar energy their home systems generate – bringing down their electricity costs."
“We are confident the trial will show that community batteries have a huge role to play in the low-cost transition of our energy system,” Mr Gross said.
