DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Locations released for 18 community batteries in Perth, Bunbury

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Construction has begun on 18 new community batteries across Perth and the South-West of Western Australia, aiming to integrate more rooftop solar energy into the grid.
  • These batteries will allow thousands of homes to feed renewable energy into the power grid, helping to stabilize electricity prices and improve grid reliability, especially during peak times and fluctuating weather conditions.
  • The project, a collaboration between federal and state governments, is part of a broader plan to electrify Western Australia and bolster its energy storage capacity, which has grown significantly in recent years.

Western Australia is stepping up its renewable energy infrastructure with the commencement of construction on 18 new community batteries across Perth and the South-West region. This initiative is a significant stride towards electrifying the state and enhancing its grid storage capabilities, which were virtually non-existent just three years ago.

It's a day like today where rooftop solar isn't going to be firing on all cylinders, and that's why we need this storage capacity in our system to ensure system reliability and security.

— Amber-Jade SandersonThe WA Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation explained the necessity of battery storage for grid stability, especially during periods of low solar generation.

The new batteries, to be installed by Western Power, will enable thousands of additional homes to contribute their rooftop solar energy to the main power grid. This is particularly crucial for managing the fluctuating availability of clean energy and addressing wild price volatility in the wholesale energy market. The batteries will store excess solar power generated during the day and dispatch it during peak demand periods, such as evenings when solar generation drops.

Community batteries like this sit on our network and act as a shared storage in neighbourhoods.

— Amber-Jade SandersonSanderson described the function of community batteries as shared energy storage solutions for local areas.

WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson emphasized the importance of this storage capacity, noting that "a day like today where rooftop solar isn't going to be firing on all cylinders" highlights the need for such systems to ensure "system reliability and security." She explained that these community batteries act as shared neighborhood storage, soaking up excess solar energy and releasing it when needed.

It soaks up all of that excess solar energy that's produced during the day when demand is low … and dispatches it out at peak times when the sun is setting.

— Amber-Jade SandersonSanderson detailed how community batteries manage energy flow by storing excess solar power and releasing it during high-demand periods.

Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson stated that the 18 new batteries will contribute to cutting network costs while facilitating increased renewable energy generation. The project is a joint effort, with the federal government contributing approximately $9.3 million to the total $25 million cost. This rollout adds to the state's existing energy storage capacity, which includes over 45,000 home batteries and several other large-scale battery projects.

These 18 community batteries will contribute to cutting network costs while enabling more renewable [energy] generation.

— Josh WilsonFederal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson highlighted the dual benefits of the new batteries: cost reduction and increased renewable energy capacity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog