Subscribe to Newsletter

logo

  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Resources
  • Trending
  • Business Insight
  • Events
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Home
  • Home
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Resources
  • Trending
  • Business Insight
  • Events
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Partnership pursues Victorian-first ‘solar sponge’ community battery network

27 Jan, 2021



Victorian electricity distributor, CitiPower, and the Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) have signed a new agreement to unlock the potential of community-scale battery storage in the Melbourne CBD and inner-city suburbs.

The partnership will investigate a ground-breaking new model of community battery ownership including crowdsourcing local investment in what is considered a Victorian-first.

The aim is to create a network of batteries, or ‘solar sponges’, located on the low-voltage electricity network across inner-Melbourne operated by CitiPower.

This unique trial will focus on creating a sustainable commercial model that delivers benefits for consumers and networks.

The project’s first phase is underway to identify the trial sites and gauge community sentiment as well as develop the potential funding model and relationships with market service providers including energy retailers.

This will inform the second phase, which will aim to deploy the batteries on a broader scale in late 2021.

Chief Executive Officer of the Yarra Energy Foundation, Dean Kline, commented that the battery network will work as a solar sponge, absorbing power from solar during the day and releasing it during peak times and at night. This will provide customer, community and network benefits.

As household batteries remain relatively expensive, “shared batteries are a smart solution to give households and businesses reliable and affordable energy when they need it,” he said.

Forecasts for the Australian solar market [1] indicate that with more people working from home, higher than normal electricity consumption could make solar an even more attractive option for families and small businesses.

CitiPower’s General Manager, Electricity Networks, Mark Clarke, said the penetration of rooftop solar in the CitiPower network was currently low at around 5 per cent of the 332,000 customers but was expected to reach 24 per cent by 2026.

“With this renewable energy source growing it is a good time to be investigating the potential for connecting batteries to support the whole community,” Mr Clarke said.

“By sharing the batteries, customers can make the most of their investment in solar. It benefits all CitiPower customers, even if they don’t have rooftop solar, as batteries help reduce the cost of building network capacity to accommodate more power and manage localised peak demand, particularly in summer.”

The first battery is expected to be trialled later in 2021. Financial modelling has commenced and the project has already received interest from investors.

The Yarra Energy Foundation is a not-for-profit providing services and advice to homes and businesses that want better energy, with core funding provided by Yarra City Council.

CitiPower owns and operates the distribution network that delivers electricity to over 332,000 residential households and commercial customers across Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs.

[1]  www.sunwiz.com.au/end-of-year-forecast-for-the-australian-pv-solar-market-2020/

Related Articles

Battery Asset Management Summit 2025

Battery Asset Management Summit Australia

Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA 2024

Australian PV Institute

Aggreko

Comments

Leave a comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Breaking

  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Resources
19 Jun

TotalEnergies acquires major UK renewable portfolio

17 Jun

Renewables surge, with solar and wind dominating

17 Jun

UNSW engineers accelerate green tech commercialisation

09 Jun

AEMO’s distribution focus enables community participation

06 Jun

Report shows 20 million gained energy access in 2024

18 Jun

McNab wins Queensland Sustainability Award 2025

18 Jun

Investa signs six-year renewable energy agreement

12 Jun

Cumberland celebrates planting its 1,000th tree

10 Jun

Stantec helps New Epping achieve sustainability excellence

09 Jun

RMIT engineers transform low-grade clay into cement

09 Jun

Australia’s hydrogen certification framework faces scrutiny

09 Jun

Biofuel demand outpaces supply, risking shortages

28 May

Major contract awarded for methanol facility in UAE

27 May

Archaeologist accuses WA government of North West Shelf cover-up

13 May

Queensland resources sector drives energy transition

  • BATTERY ASSET MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

Online Magazine

    Current Cover
  • Login
  • Subscribe

Subscribe

Subscribe to Newsletter

Our Titles

  • Share on Newsletter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
© Sage Media Group 2025 All Rights Reserved.
×
Authorization
  • Registration
 This feature has been disabled
 This feature has been disabled until further notice, however you may still register
×
Registration
  • Autorization
Register
* All fields required