Queensland to deploy 1.5 MWh 'Neighbourhood batteries' for Solar grid integration
Australian state of Queensland is launching 'Neighbourhood Battery' pragramme for better management and integration of the increasing penetration of solar rooftop PV in the region. A partnership between publicly-owned Energex and retailer Origin Energy has been announced, to deliver 35 neighbourhood batteries across the city of Ipswich.
Part of a $10 million (USD 7.1 million) initiative, the plan will see the deployment of 30 power pole-mounted and five ground-level systems battery energy storage systems (BESS) connected to the low voltage network. The batteries are said to be supplied by domestic startup EcoJoule Energy and Norwegian manufacturer Pixii, all locally manufactured in Queensland.
Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen 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," Minister 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 battery systems will be installed, owned, and maintained by Energex. They will be operated by Origin in the wholesale energy market, who will also design solutions to share value with customers, according to the official statement.
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It is said that the neighbourhood batteries will soak up the equivalent solar from approximately 13 household solar systems for pole mounted, or approximately 40 household solar systems for ground-level. The BESS systems will also complement the large-scale network-connected batteries being rolled out across the Ergon Energy network in regional Queensland.
