ARENA approves $143 million for 370 community batteries across Australia
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced that it has conditionally approved up to $143 million to support the deployment of approximately 370 community batteries across Australia under its Community Battery Funding Round 1.
This program is expected to benefit all states and the Northern Territory, unlocking an expected $359 million in renewable energy infrastructure investment.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said community batteries will enhance energy resilience, reliability, and sustainability while lowering energy costs for consumers and businesses.
Once operational, the batteries will significantly alleviate local network constraints, expand rooftop solar capacity, reduce emissions, and lower electricity costs.
Read more: Australia stresses batteries’ crucial role amid plans to close CFPPs
Miller added, “We are encouraged to see this important asset class being demonstrated at such a scale and expect that this funding round will kick start the neighborhood-scale storage sector.”
ARENA received a robust response for Round 1, with 140 eligible Expressions of Interest submitted.
The beneficiaries of these batteries will include households, hospitals, schools, tertiary education institutions, council facilities, housing developments, social and community housing, sports facilities, libraries, aquatic centers, shopping centers, and regional and remote communities.
The energy agency added that the batteries will have an aggregated storage capacity of up to 281 MWh, enabling the storage and use of renewable electricity generated across Australian communities.
Read more: Arena funds Amber Electric for Vehicle-to-Grid Trial
The specific sites for the batteries are undetermined and depend on community consultation, obtaining planning approvals, and entering commercial agreements. All funding from ARENA is contingent upon finalizing agreements with each successful applicant.
ARENA plans to initiate a second round of funding for community batteries in late 2024, with a minimum allocation of $28 million.
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