Funding win for community battery project in Ballarat

The City of Ballarat will participate in an exciting new project to develop an investment-ready business case for a community battery in the municipality.

The Regional Greenhouse Alliance Neighbourhood Battery Investigation Project was one of nine projects to be awarded funding through the Victorian Government’s Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.

The project, led by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance, and Gippsland Alliance for Climate Action, in partnership with Indigo Power, will develop the business case for a single community battery site in Ballarat and 17 other local government areas across regional Victoria.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said as a member of the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, Ballarat will be a key partner in the project.

“This initiative aligns with our Carbon Neutrality and 100% Renewables Action Plan to achieve carbon neutrality within our organisation by 2025,” he said.

“It will also support the Ballarat Net Zero Emissions Plan as communities are exploring how they can accelerate the uptake of local renewable energy technologies to reduce emissions enhance and enhance community energy resilience.”

Community batteries are an energy storage model with the potential to provide many benefits to consumers, communities and the electricity system. The batteries enable the network to support more rooftop solar by storing solar-generated electricity during the day and discharging it during the evenings when demand is highest.

This allows consumers to generate and consume more renewable energy locally and supports Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy targets.

Chief Executive Officer of the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance Annika Kearton is delighted to be working with 18 councils across regional Victoria on this exciting project.

“The project will plan community batteries at sites servicing a high value community need, such as emergency shelters, places of last resort, and other critical community facilities, with a focus on exploring how to maximise benefits at different community sites,” she said.