The Victorian Government has announced that applications are now open for the second round of its $42 million 100 Neighbourhood Batteries programme, aimed at enhancing energy reliability for communities and reducing energy costs.
Lily D’Ambrosio, the Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, officially launched the applications for this phase, which now includes energy back-up systems designed to bolster local energy reliability.
Enhancing Community Resilience
This new category seeks to bolster the resilience of communities that adopt these systems, ensuring they can maintain an independent power supply during emergencies like storms. This capability allows them to prepare meals, charge devices, and access critical information even when the grid is down.
Empowering Local Communities with Neighbourhood Batteries
Neighbourhood batteries are larger than traditional household batteries but smaller than those used at the grid scale. They empower local communities by storing inexpensive and clean renewable energy when it’s abundant and releasing it during peak demand times.
The Victorian Government has indicated that this round will prioritise projects that provide significant benefits to diverse, low-income, and vulnerable households. It also targets outer suburbs and regional areas, aiming to help reduce energy bills for those who need it most.
Increased Funding and Community Hubs
Funding for this round has increased to a maximum of $400,000 per project, building upon the success of the first round of the 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Programme, which funded 25 batteries throughout Victoria.
This financial support can help applicants create community hubs featuring energy back-up systems, similar to the 26 locations funded through the Energy Resilience Solutions Programme. These hubs would provide communities with access to information, hot water, and charging opportunities during extended power outages caused by severe weather.
Eligibility and Guidelines for Applicants
The 100 Neighbourhood Batteries programme is open to councils, community groups, businesses, developers, and non-profits. A new project readiness assessment tool has been introduced to assist applicants in determining whether a neighbourhood battery is suitable for their community and how to proceed with the application process.
In this round, the minimum battery size is set at 20kW/40kWh, while the maximum allowable size is 5MW/20MWh.
Detailed application guidelines can be found at energy.vic.gov.au/grants/neighbourhood-batteries.
Ms D’Ambrosio commented, “We’re making Victoria the home of batteries – delivering storage to soak up renewable energy, enhance the network, lower bills, and extend the advantages of local renewable energy even further.”
She further added, “Our Neighbourhood Batteries will improve local energy network reliability, allowing communities to keep the lights on during storms and empowering more households to reduce their bills by adopting rooftop solar.”