Community batteries (or neighbourhood batteries) store renewable energy generated from rooftop solar during the day and make it available to the wider community at night. They are larger than household batteries and can store up to 5 megawatts (MW).

Community batteries can be owned by electricity distribution businesses (like Jemena) or third parties such as community energy groups, electricity retailers, aggregators or private investors.

What are the benefits of community batteries?

Community batteries can help stabilise the electricity grid by soaking up excess solar during the day and using it to reduce demand on the grid during peak times at night. This also enables the electricity network to support more rooftop solar to be exported back into the grid, particularly in neighbourhoods that have a high number of homes with rooftop solar.

Community batteries benefit electricity customers by making renewable energy available to all customers connected to the local network, not just those with rooftop solar. This can help reduce carbon emissions across the whole neighbourhood. Community batteries can also help reduce solar export restrictions.

Where are community batteries installed?

Jemena will be installing community batteries in Alphington, Bellfield, Coburg and Flemington in Victoria during 2024. Each battery will have around 360kWh of storage which is the same amount of energy used by around 150 homes for two hours at night.

We will engage with residents throughout the project and share updates as work progresses.

Jemena Electricity Networks received around $2 million in funding to deliver these community batteries through the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program.

Other community batteries owned by third parties such as community energy groups or electricity retailers may also be installed within the Jemena Electricity Network.

More information

For more information on community batteries email communitybatteries@jemena.com.au