The Andrews Labor Government is taking steps to help more Victorians take control of their energy bills by increasing suburban renewable energy storage capacity.
The latest addition to the $10.9 million Neighbourhood Battery Initiative is the Tarneit Neighbourhood Battery, which has received $800,000 in funding. Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D'Ambrosio unveiled the 120kW/360kWh battery, which will help alleviate solar export constraints by capturing excess rooftop solar energy during the day and returning it to residents when needed. The battery will also be able to power around 170 nearby homes for up to three hours during peak electricity demand periods.
Tarneit, along with the neighbouring suburbs of Hoppers Crossing and Truganina, has the highest penetration of rooftop solar in Victoria, with almost 14,000 solar households, or about 42% of all customers.
The Tarneit neighbourhood battery features artwork by Jess Kease of 23rd Key, depicting the theme of connecting with the natural environment.
The government launched Australia's first inner-city neighbourhood battery in Fitzroy North last year and plans to install two more neighbourhood batteries, including a 120kW/390kWh battery and off-street EV charging point outside a community centre in Richmond and a 150kW/300kWh system at the Library at the Dock.
To further support renewable energy storage, the Government has opened a third round of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative, with up to $2.3 million in grants available to develop business cases and implement neighbourhood batteries. The Government is also investing $42 million to install 100 more neighbourhood batteries across Victoria, tripling the number of households with access to renewable energy storage.
These efforts are part of the Government's broader commitment to meet renewable energy storage targets of 2.6GW by 2030 and 6.3GW by 2035, which will provide enough renewable energy to power about half of Victoria's current homes at peak energy use and reduce emissions by 75 to 80 per cent by 2035.