Published on Friday, 19 June 2020 at 10:15:00 AM
The City of Busselton will be the first site in the South West to enjoy the network benefits of battery storage, after securing a site for one of Western Power’s 10 community batteries.
City of Busselton Mayor Grant Henley said that securing the first community battery in the South West and the fourth community battery in the state is a huge win, unlocking immediate network benefits and allowing for future growth in solar.
“The City is excited to partner with Western Power to bring cutting-edge technology to our residents that will assist them in further reducing their carbon emissions,” Mr Henley said.
“Having the community battery connected to the grid means immediate network support to the area in place of more traditional technologies.”
Homes and businesses in the City of Busselton have led the way in solar panel uptake in the South West. In the past 10 years, there has been a six-fold increase with Western Power data showing more than 4,700 rooftops in Busselton are covered in solar panels.
Securing the Western Power battery has also left the door open for residents to trial battery storage technology, in an extension of Synergy and Western Power’s Australian-first PowerBank trial.
The PowerBank product offers eligible individual households the opportunity to benefit from battery storage and optimise their existing solar generation, without having to outlay upfront costs for a behind-the-meter battery storage system.
The community battery will be located on Shovelboard Way. A decision on the feasibility of the PowerBank product for Busselton residents is expected to be made later this year.
Media contacts:
Meredith Dixon – City of Busselton
08 9781 0446/ Meredith.dixon@busselton.wa.gov.au
Paul Entwistle – Western Power
0423 104 061/ media@westernpower.com.au
Carolyn Herbert – Synergy
0447 195 714/ media@synergy.net.au
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