Wave Consulting leads first-of-its-kind community battery installation | Village Power
Australia's energy landscape is evolving, and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) forecasts a shift towards 47 GW of storage capacity in our electricity market by 2050. The focus? Distributed storage, including small-scale home batteries, neighbourhood battery projects, vehicle-to-grid technology, and emerging innovations.
Discover how Wave Consulting is driving change in energy storage with Village Power in Alphington.
There is a pipeline to deliver 500 community batteries across Australia, funded by both the Australian and Victorian governments.
These initiatives, utilising various funding models, aim to benefit communities and Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs), contributing significantly to the envisaged growth in storage capacity.
First-of-its-kind community battery in Australia
In August 2023, the Victorian Government Minister for Energy announced a $750,000 allocation to Village Power for the delivery of a 300 kWh community battery in Alphington, Victoria.
This battery will be the first-of-its-kind in Australia: a battery explicitly installed and operated for the community.
The neighbourhood battery project will directly serve local households with up to 100 subscribers and will be overseen by a dedicated local community group and involve active community participation.
Wave appointed to project manage installation of Village Power community battery
Wave Consulting is pleased to have been appointed by Village Power to project manage the installation of this battery.
Our role will be to manage crucial aspects of the project, including coordinating location selection, procurement, establishing retail models, and engaging with the community. Our primary goal is the timely delivery and commissioning of the battery, set for completion by the end of 2024.
Our role also involves facilitating meetings among three key groups integral to the project's success:
a volunteer-based project delivery team
a technical advisory group of external stakeholders and experts
an upcoming community advisory panel set to form in early 2024.
Crucial support for this venture comes from the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative program team at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Anticipating the community energy evolution
As Wave Consulting Australia guides this groundbreaking project through its intricacies, we look forward to providing regular updates on its progress. We're eagerly anticipating the transformative impact and potential it holds for reshaping energy storage in our neighbourhoods and suburbs.
Volunteer with Village Power
If you’d like to get involved, Village Power is recruiting volunteers to lead, guide, and support various aspects of the project. Get in touch to play a role in this exciting neighbourhood battery project.