Townsville will be the first community to host a Local Renewable Energy Zone (LREZ) pilot project, which is designed to maximize the use of solar energy across the region. This project will help households generate, store, and share renewable energy locally, reducing energy costs and lowering emissions.
Under the new initiative, local homes with rooftop solar panels will be able to transfer the energy they generate during the day into community storage batteries. This energy will then be made available to other homes during the night when solar power generation is unavailable but energy demand is high. This will allow renters, unit dwellers, and those who cannot afford solar panels to benefit from renewable energy savings.
The LREZ will feature up to 8.4MW/18.8MWh of battery storage, supporting an additional 2.8MW of solar capacity and 0.9MW of demand management. The pilot project will benefit both residential and commercial customers in Townsville and is expected to begin operations in January 2025.
With a funding commitment of $40 million for this pilot, the LREZ is part of a broader effort to increase local renewable energy access, including the installation of additional network-connected batteries by Energy Queensland. These efforts aim to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy for the community while supporting the local economy.
The Townsville project is one of two LREZ pilots funded as part of a state initiative to build 18 new local network-connected batteries. These batteries will contribute to the ongoing transition to renewable energy, benefiting communities across the state.