Perth Gets 18 More Community Batteries

Josh Wilson, Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Assistant Minister for Emergency Management & Member for Fremantle and Amber-Jade Sanderson, State Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation and Member for Morley today trumpeted that ‘Western Australia extends battery uptake lead’

The Assistant Minister and Minister proudly announced today that the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments are ‘accelerating Western Australia’s strong momentum towards a cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy future with the construction of 18 more community batteries now underway.’

Installed by Western Power, the batteries will provide a combined 6.6 megawatts of storage capacity, helping harness WA’s huge rooftop solar generation, and redeploying the energy during the evening peak when demand increases.

Once online by mid-2027, the 13 low-voltage and 5 medium-voltage batteries are designed to help bring down system wide costs, reduce emissions, and provide improved grid stability.

Selected in consultation with local government and residents, the 13 battery locations across Perth and 5 in Bunbury were chosen to help manage the network in areas with high rooftop solar uptake.

Around 130 households will be connected into each metropolitan battery, with about 3,600 households connected across the five larger Bunbury sites.

The media release says that in Round 1 of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Community Battery program, the Albanese Government has provided $9.34 million towards the $25 million total project cost.

On top of this announcement it points out it has already deployed five community batteries across Perth – in Coogee, Bayswater, Stratton, Kinross and Port Kennedy – through the Community Batteries for Household Solar program. Under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, more than 45,000 Western Australian households and small businesses have installed batteries.

The Albanese Government says it is also supporting WA’s energy transition through the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), with the latest WA tender backing 1.9 gigawatts of cheaper, cleaner renewable generation and 482 megawatts of battery storage as part of 10 new projects set to be built across regional WA.

Two big batteries in Muchea and Merredin are already under construction as part of CIS Tender 2, and three new batteries and one solar-battery hybrid project were awarded in CIS Tenders 5 and 6 last month.

Josh Wilson said that:

“These community batteries will help us make the most of the abundant solar generated during the day by storing and releasing it during the evening peak as the sun goes down.

“Together with more than 45,000 batteries that have been installed at WA homes since 1 July last year, and our state’s nation-leading deployment of large grid-scale batteries at Collie and Kwinana, these 18 community batteries will contribute to cutting network costs while enabling more renewable generation.

”The Albanese Government is getting on with the job of delivering a cheaper, cleaner, and self-sufficient energy system that lowers costs for households and businesses, while tackling dangerous climate change. It the smart and sensible path to achieving WA’s potential as a renewable energy super-state and a clean industry powerhouse.”

Amber-Jade Sanderson added that:

“We know the cheapest energy mix for the future is renewables backed by gas and battery storage.

“The Cook Labor Government has already worked with the Commonwealth to deliver five community batteries across Perth

“These additional 18 batteries being delivered across metropolitan Perth and Bunbury will help lower emissions, put downward pressure on energy costs and improve local power reliability.”

*By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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