LOGANHOLME company EcoJoule is being commissioned by the state government to manufacture new “neighbourhood batteries”.
The batteries are the latest technology being rolled out in a $10 million Queensland initiative to deliver renewable energy in our suburbs and streets.
But while the manufacturing will take place here, the program will first be rolled out to other areas of the state.
A partnership between publicly owned Energex and retailer Origin will deliver 35 neighbourhood batteries across Ipswich.
Springwood MP and energy minister Mick de Brenni said the neighbourhood batteries offered numerous benefits to communities including increased energy reliability, reduced energy costs, and a cleaner energy supply.
“Queensland has all the ingredients needed to lead the renewable energy revolution–we’re already doing it with our record amounts of rooftop solar,” Mr de Brenni said.
“These neighbourhood batteries will store cheap excess energy generated by the equivalent of nearly 600 rooftop solar systems during the day.
“Critically, they will deploy that cheap electricity during peak evening periods, lowering household energy bills.”
The first rollout follows a trial at one of the Energex depots.
“This is an exciting project that will help explore different ways to create and share the benefits of neighbourhood batteries with customers,” Origin’s Anthony Lucas said.
“The development of smart, connected, low carbon solutions like neighbourhood batteries are central to Origin’s ambition to lead the energy transition through cleaner energy and customer solutions.”
Queensland’s Neighbourhood Batteries will:
- Be installed, owned, and maintained by Energex.
- Be operated by Origin in the wholesale energy market, design solutions to share value with customers.
- Be made up of up to 30 power pole-mounted and 5 ground-level (equivalent batteries connected to the low voltage network.
- Soak up the equivalent solar from approximately 13 household solar systems for pole mounted, or approximately 40 household solar systems for ground-level.
- Explore sustainable models to enable the benefits of low voltage connected batteries to be shared between customers, retailers, and the distribution network.
- Are in areas with high solar penetration and potential to reduce network risks.
- Been granted approval by the Australian Energy Regulator.
