Ausgrid has announced the launch of its new Peats Ridge community battery on New South Wales’ Central Coast—its largest community battery to date.
Comprising of two 5MW batteries, these latest batteries are poised to deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy benefits to households across the region, with ten thousand customers eligible to save around $200 a year.
Ausgrid group executive distributed services Rob Amphlett Lewis said, “Each community battery acts as a shared asset that can absorb abundant solar energy during the day when the sun is shining and share it back to the network during the evening peak, lowering electricity prices for everyone.
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“Because batteries sit right within the existing grid, they integrate solar efficiently, improve local stability, and cut down on system costs, and whether you’re a renter, an apartment dweller, or a homeowner with no solar panels, you can access the storage benefits—and the savings.
“Crucially, these batteries are more cost effective compared to the average individual home battery, allowing us to deliver cheaper and more reliable power over the long run, and facilitating more renewable energy across the entire community,” he said.
The Peats Ridge battery continues to expand Ausgrid’s Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) initiative, enabling significant savings for locals that sign up through their retailers.
This groundbreaking program, currently offered in partnership with leading retailers EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy, is designed to bring tangible benefits to a much wider segment of the community.
Related article: No solar, no worries: locals invited to join community battery
The size of the battery and related catchment area means more locals than ever are eligible.
Eleven other community batteries have been launched within Beacon Hill, Bankstown, Bondi, Cabarita, Cameron Park, Cammeray, Cooranbong, Narara, Warriewood, North Epping and Bexley North, with more planned in coming months.
ESaaS is also now available for customers near smaller pole-top community batteries in Adamstown, Bankstown, Blackwall, Canada Bay, Hurlstone Park, Kurnell, Lidcombe, Lindfield and Maitland.
