University to host ten community batteries to soak up excess solar and be part of virtual power plant

Hydro Tasmania’s energy retailer Momentum Energy is set to install 10 community batteries at the University of Wollongong to help support the power needs of its research laboratories, medical research, and teaching facilities.

The 10 community batteries are the latest to be installed as part of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Community Batteries Funding Initiative which was launched in 2023 and awarded a share of $120 million to developers across the country.

Momentum announced in February that it would install 39 batteries at locations as varied as the Collingwood and Brisbane Football Clubs, Cricket Australia, Living Choice retirement villages at Flagstaff Hill and Fullarton, Living Choice Lifestyle Village at Mount Barker, and at shopping centres in Aston Hills and Athelstone.

In addition to reducing energy costs for each of the locations where a battery is installed, the 39 batteries will be connected to Hydro Tasmania’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) which will allow excess solar PV or grid energy to be stored and sold into the National Electricity Market when needed.  

The batteries at the University of Wollongong will have a combined power capacity of 2MW and a storage duration of two hours.

Once operational, the batteries will help reduce the University’s electricity costs while also unlocking an additional source of revenue when selling power back into the grid.

“We’re excited to partner with the University of Wollongong and ARENA to deliver this project,” said Lisa Chiba, Momentum Energy managing director.

“The electricity grid needs to balance supply and demand at every point in the day. As Australia’s energy system transitions to having more renewables, we see increasing amounts of intermittent power like solar and wind in the grid.

“Hydro Tasmania’s Virtual Power Plant allows individual energy assets to work together like a traditional power plant and helps them to respond to the demands of the market.”