Ausgrid delivers Australia’s first co-located community battery and EV charger

29 June 2024

Ausgrid delivers Australia’s first co-located community battery and EV charger

Ausgrid has successfully installed the first Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) battery under its Community Batteries Funding Round 1.

In an Australian first, this battery will also be connected to an electric vehicle charger, so local residents and visitors alike can utilise the solar generated in their area to charge their cars.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said it would play an important role in helping households access cleaner, cheaper energy and increasing grid resilience.The Bexley North community battery will support local power reliability, enable more homes to enjoy the benefits of solar panels and put downward pressure on energy bills by feeding back into the grid at peak times.

In an Australian first, this battery will also be connected to an electric vehicle charger, so local residents and visitors alike can utilise the solar generated in their area to charge their cars.

Member for Barton and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said the Bexley North battery is a win for residents of Bexley North, and Barton.

“Not only will the battery help residents benefit from cleaner, cheaper renewable energy, it is a beautiful piece of street art,” Minister Burney said.

“Amanda Longbottom is a talented local Indigenous artist, and this new artwork is sure to become a local icon.”

Ausgrid CEO Marc England said batteries act as a sponge during the day absorbing solar generation and then feed that back to the network during peak times.

“Community batteries not only facilitate a more equitable journey to net-zero but they create a more stable grid putting downward pressure on energy costs,” Mr England said.

“Under this ARENA program, the batteries will be up to 5MW in size, cover more customers, support more solar, and reduce cost and community impact.

“The Bexley North community battery is also Australia’s first community battery connected to an electric vehicle charger, meaning this battery will have the ability to offset the demand when a vehicle is plugged in and charging.”

The Australian Government provided $200 million for the Community Batteries for Household Solar Budget Measure to deploy 400 community batteries across Australia. Of this, $171 million was allocated to ARENA to deliver at least 342 batteries.

Under the Community Batteries Funding Round 1 program, conditional on executing a funding agreement with ARENA, Ausgrid is aiming to deploy a portfolio of batteries up to 5MW.

Community batteries are flexible and scalable energy solutions that benefit both the local communities and the wider energy system.

Delivered in partnership with Bayside Council, the 267kWh community battery is Ausgrid’s eighth within its network. The EV charger co-located with the battery will also offer one- month free charging.

The battery has been wrapped in custom artwork created by local First Nations artist Amanda Longbottom, titled On Country. This artwork has been described by the artist as a representation of Indigenous people’s continuing connection to the saltwater that surrounds us and how First Nations people continue to care for country, on country.

For more information on community batteries visit http://www.ausgrid.com.au/batteries.