Electricity distributor Powercor has officially opened a new community battery in Maldon, Victoria, which will store excess rooftop solar from nearby homes and help supply up to 50 nearby properties during peak demand periods.
The ground-mounted 100kW/290kWh battery in Adair Street features striking artwork by local artist Daikota Nelson titled Harmony Journey, which the community chose through a selection process that attracted around 300 votes.
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The design reflects the deep cultural and environmental connections of Maldon and Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
Powercor head of network program management Andrew Bailey said the battery’s development had been a true partnership between Powercor and the people of Maldon.
“Maldon has shown itself to be one of the most engaged communities we’ve ever seen in any project we’ve done, and we couldn’t have delivered this battery without you,” Bailey said.
“In simple terms, this battery provides a place for local solar to be stored during the day, helping free up space on the local network during peak times.
“It’s going to benefit every customer connected to that part of the local network, whether they have solar or not.”
More than 40% of all homes in Maldon’s 3463 postcode have rooftop solar, well above the Powercor network average of just over 30%.
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Powercor will operate and maintain the battery as part of its network operations.
