The Andrews Labor Government is building neighbourhood batteries across the state to store renewable energy in a bid to cut emissions and electricity bills.
Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio today announced two new neighbourhood batteries in Richmond and Docklands as part of the Labor Government's $10.9 million program to build more neighbourhood batteries, maximise the uptake of rooftop solar and store cheap, clean renewable energy locally.
As part of Round 2 of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI), the Labor Government will invest $1.5 million in two neighbourhood batteries in Richmond and Docklands.
Neighbourhood batteries increase energy stability and allow the grid to support more rooftop solar by storing electricity generated during the day and discharging it at night.
The Yarra Energy Foundation will deliver a 120kW/390kWh battery and off-street EV charging point at Burnley Backyard, a community centre in Richmond. The City of Melbourne will install a 150kW/300kWh system at the Library at the Dock, the first in a planned 5 megawatt (MW) network of neighbourhood-scale batteries.
The batteries will help the Labor government meet its energy storage targets, which include achieving a massive 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy storage capacity by 2030, rising to 6.3 GW by 2035.
Round 2 projects will begin in 2022 and be completed by June 2024. A third round of the NBI will open in early 2023, with further details to be announced shortly.
For more information, visit energy.vic.gov.au/grants/neighbourhood-battery-initiative