By Callum Ludwig
The community battery set to be installed by the end of the year in Yarra Junction has already drawn the interest of Yarra Ranges residents from around the region.
Montrose resident Ian Wheater had taken note of the battery’s upcoming installation and asked at the Tuesday 9 July Yarra Ranges Council meeting if more will be installed in other townships.
Director of Planning and Sustainable Futures at Yarra Ranges Council Kath McClusky said at this stage, the council doesn’t have any plans to install community batteries across the municipality.
“The community battery in Yarra Junction was installed by Indigo Power via a federal grant program, Indigo Power is a community-owned energy company and will operate the battery as part of their network,” she said.
“Council is generally supportive of community batteries, this support will differ depending on specifics of each project,”
“However, council doesn’t manage a dedicated program to roll them out across the municipality.”
The Yarra Junction community battery was promised by the now Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen in the township as a 2022 election promise and is one of 400 that was funded in the October 2022 Federal Budget across the country.
Project Manager at Indigo Power Heath Shakespeare said Yarra Junction makes an excellent location for a pilot community battery.
“Indigo Power believe that projects like this, community batteries, will encourage interest in energy and the renewable energy transition,” he said.
Indigo Power will be working closely with Yarra Ranges Council to roll the project out and will provide updates through our social media pages. Updates can also be requested directly from Indigo Power.”
The battery will be located at 2436 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction (near the Yarra Centre).
A recent meeting information session facilitated by Yarra Ranges Council between Indigo Power had more than 30 participants attend.
Mr Shakespeare said the feedback was positive.
“The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the project including key stakeholders and the community across the Yarra Junction region,” he said.
“This was to provide local people with information about community batteries so they can have an opportunity to ask questions, learn and understand how the battery will operate, and how the battery will benefit the local community.”
Indigo Power holds a lease agreement with Yarra Ranges Council for the battery’s installation, along with a connection agreement with AusNet. The battery is estimated to be installed and operational in November 2024.
Mr Shakespeare said the more batteries that are deployed in local areas, the more flexibility there may be to unlock further access the benefits.
“When projects such as this are launched, there is a postive engagement from other communities to get involved, local energy groups from neighbouring areas generally reach out to find out how what the application process is, what type of sites are suitable to host a community battery and how to engage with others in their community,” he said.
“Benefits of a network of community batteries in a local region such as Yarra Ranges can include allowing more rooftop solar and electric devices to be connected, reduced pressure on the electricity grid, the potential community shared energy while lowering emissions,”
“The opportunity to lower electricity costs may be achieved by storing electricity during the day when generation from renewables is high and prices are low then feeding electricity back into the grid when it is needed most and at a higher price.”
The battery is 120kW/300kWh Pixii Lithium iron phosphate battery, containing a built-in fire suppression system, three units and one switchboard, a ‘footprint’ of about four square metres, front of meter (FOM) battery connection and a life expectancy of about 10-15 years.
