Cyclone Seroja update
Our community battery storage trials
How shared battery storage benefits customers and the grid
Imagine being able to bank your excess solar energy in a shared battery...well, that’s what we’re trialling with our PowerBank community battery project.
In 2018, we partnered with Synergy to install three community-scale batteries utilising Tesla technology.
The first trial was in Meadow Springs (105kW/420kWh battery) followed by a second trial in Falcon and Ellenbrook (each with a 116kW/464kWh battery).
The success of these trials has resulted in the launch of a third PowerBank trial in 2021 which will see nine existing community batteries transition to PowerBanks.
We’ve learnt a lot from the first two trials and made improvements to give participating customers more flexibility and more choice.
PowerBank: an Australian-first
The PowerBank community battery is an Australian-first trial to integrate bulk solar battery storage into the existing grid that also provides customers with a retail storage option.
We own and maintain the battery, meaning customers don’t have to outlay the costs of purchasing a behind-the-meter battery.
-
Benefits of community storage
Community storage is a case of mutual attraction as Brenton Laws, our Business Development Manager, explains.
-
Banking your solar power
Well believe it or not, a PowerBank is like a virtual bank that stores your excess solar power. How does it work?
Meadow Springs PowerBank trial
The first PowerBank trial was in Meadow Springs, near Mandurah. The trial involved 44 residents who were able to virtually store their excess energy in the PowerBank community battery and draw the energy back out for use when needed. The residents saved an average of $228* each and had a collective saving of $11,000* across the trial.
Watch the video to find out more....
* Estimated savings only calculated by comparing consumption and costs incurred by individual trial participants on the PowerBank Trial and the A1 Home Plan over the same period. Variances in export and consumption will affect individual costs and potential savings.
An innovative alternative to solar battery storage at home
Across the first three PowerBank battery projects, up to 192 households had access to between 6-8kWh of virtual storage. At the cost of $1 to $2 per day, participants were able to store their excess solar energy in the battery and draw it back out when needed.
In the first year of the Meadow Springs trial, 95 per cent of customers saved money on their power bills.
The project also supported the region’s power supply during times of peak demand – when electricity consumption is at its highest – which is a smarter, customer-focused approach to infrastructure investment in the area.
Perth's top solar suburbs
The PowerBank trial in Meadow Springs, near Mandurah, was an Australian-first in bulk battery storage.
Other suburbs around Mandurah are some of Western Australia’s leaders in the uptake of solar panels. This can demonstrate the community’s desire to integrate cleaner, renewable energy alternatives into their lives.
But how do other suburbs measure up in the solar stakes?
Did your suburb make the top 10 solar suburbs in Perth?
Find out...
