Four community batteries to store solar, boost the grid in Melbourne’s north

Distribution network company Jemena has announced that it will deliver four new community batteries to store locally generated rooftop solar power across four suburbs in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

The inner suburbs of Alphington, Bellfield, Coburg, and Flemington will all play host to grid-side energy storage systems after Jemena was awarded up to $2 million in funding to deliver the community batteries through the Australian government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program.

Each of the batteries will boast around 360kWh of storage, approximately the same amount of energy used by around 150 homes for two hours at night.

Community batteries such as these will store excess power generated from local rooftop solar systems during the day, making it available to the wider community during peak times at night.

This means that customers connected to the local network gain access to renewable energy and that those with their own rooftop solar systems need not necessarily have their own battery systems.

“This is part of our work to build the energy system of the future,” said Shaun Reardon, executive general manager of Jemena Networks.

“By installing these community batteries within the Jemena Electricity Network we are making renewable energy a reality for many of our customers who don’t have rooftop solar, such as those who are renting.

“We will continue to invest in new technologies, such as community batteries, to maintain grid stability as solar uptake increases over the coming years.”

Installation of the four government-backed batteries is expected to get underway in early 2024 with the batteries to be operational by mid-2024.

Reardon says Jemena will continue to work with local councils and residents to confirm the specific locations of each battery and will engage with residents throughout the project.