More Victorian suburbs and towns will be plugged in to neighbourhood batteries, helping lower power bills, get more solar on to Victorian rooftops and provide backup power for communities during extreme weather events.
Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh this week visited Camp Manyung, the site of the Mornington Peninsula's 88kwh battery, as part of round two of the $42 million Neighbourhood Battery Program.
YCMA Victoria’s Y Discovery Camps will receive $384,848 for an 88kwh battery at their camp in Mount Eliza, as one of six batteries statewide, which will lower energy costs for the camps.
Neighbourhood batteries can soak up cheap, renewable energy from rooftop solar during the day and feed it back into the organisations or homes they are connected to at night, when power usage is high.
These neighbourhood batteries can be paired with solar to provide back-up power to these buildings to act as community hubs for people to access power during prolonged outages.
These batteries will help Victoria reach its target of a at least 2.6 GW of energy storage by 2030 and 6.3 GW by 2035 – enough energy to power around half of Victoria’s homes.
The State Government is also helping First Peoples corporations and organisations access the benefits of neighbourhood batteries with the First Peoples’ Solar and Storage Initiative – jointly funded with the Albanese Labor Government the initiative will deliver more solar and battery storage to soak up renewable energy and keep power prices down.
For a full list of neighbourhood battery locations visit, energy.vic.gov.au/grants/neighbourhood-batteries.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio
“Victoria is the home of batteries – which soak-up cheap renewable energy during the day to drive down bills for Victorian families.”
“These batteries will also help keep the power flowing to essential services like the Salvation Army during extreme weather events so that Victorians can continue to access the help and assistance they need.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh
“These batteries will save money for charities & organisations; allowing them to better support our frontline services, while also providing more energy security for our regional towns.”
Quotes attributable to Y Camps Head of Operations Manager Daniel Whykes
“This funding will electrify six Y Discovery Camps across regional and suburban Victoria, advancing the Y’s journey toward a carbon-neutral future while creating a more sustainable experience for over 80,000 guests each year."
‘Neighbourhood batteries will enable Y Discovery Camps to store solar energy, lower power bills, and provide a reliable backup power source during extreme weather events—ensuring continued access to services for our guests and local communities.”
“Neighbourhood batteries will allow Y Discovery Camps to harness solar energy efficiently, ensuring a consistent power supply that aligns with peak usage times."
