Benefits of community batteries

What is a community battery?

A community battery is a relatively new concept in Australia. It’s a battery solution that allows solar customers to use all the clean energy they generate, save on their electricity bills, and get more value from their solar investment, without needing to own and maintain their own household battery system. 

Unlike a household battery, a community battery allows solar customers connected to the same local distribution network to share in a larger ‘community’ battery that is owned and maintained by Ausgrid. 

Solar customers benefit from avoiding battery installation and maintenance costs and are able to choose unique storage levels for their individual needs.
But the benefits aren’t limited to solar customers.  

Community batteries encourage greater solar uptake by households and businesses, increasing the amount of renewable energy in the system, which can reduce peak demand and help distributors like Ausgrid place downward pressure on energy prices. If we can demonstrate they can address specific network needs, community batteries they also offer a cheaper alternative to network investment. And finally, they make access to battery storage more equitable and accessible for all customers, particularly those who aren’t currently allowed to install their own solar system.

Who can benefit from a community battery?

Local solar customers 

Community batteries can offer a more cost-effective alternative to installing your own battery storage. Some of the benefits include: 

Reduced costs: 

• No upfront battery installation costs 
• No maintenance costs – including risk of battery failure 
• No need to pay for a new battery at end of life 

Greater choices: 

• Customers can choose a unique storage size for their needs 
• Customers can ‘flex’ their battery size to suit their changing circumstances 
• No space for a battery? No problem! A community battery doesn’t take up space in your garage or on your front porch.  

All customers

Community batteries don’t just save on bills for local solar customers.  They save on bills for everyone.  

How?

Community batteries can: 

• Help make our energy supply clean and green by supporting and encouraging greater uptake of solar by households and businesses. 
• Increase the number of batteries in the energy system, which can reduce peak demand and place downward pressure on energy prices. 
• Make access to energy storage more equitable, giving everyone the ability to save on their bills. 
• Offer a better and cheaper alternative to traditional network investment.  
• Offer a cheaper way to provide storage to the community as larger, shared batteries are cheaper to buy and maintain than lots of smaller, individual batteries in homes.