Geelong mulls solar battery plan

GEELONG Sustainability is investigating a community solar battery for the city to help improve the efficiency of rooftop systems.

The environment group has state government funding for a feasibility study into a neighbourhood battery, which stores excess power generated by local homes and businesses for distribution during peak demand periods.

Geelong Sustainability has opened a survey to canvas local residents about their solar uptake to gauge interest and potential for the facility in Geelong.

The group’s executive officer Dan Cowdell said survey findings would help guide future planning.

“The feasibility study aims to work out how community batteries can benefit our community,” Mr Cowdell said.

“We know that they can support the electricity grid and enable more solar power to be connected to the grid.

“But what we are really interested in is the development of a model for community batteries where residents can fully utilise the batteries, storing their excess energy and drawing it back when it saves them money.”

“It’s important for us to hear what the community thinks about Community Batteries, the survey will help us to understand the communities’ interest and attitude towards them, as well as highlighting the barriers and any concerns they may have”.

The survey is open until July 12. Geelong Sustainability will host a webinar that evening to discuss results and intended outcomes of the survey with interest residents.

A Geelong battery study is the latest local project to kickstart as the concept of a community battery gains momentum across the state.

Queenscliff Climate Action Group is well advanced in its plan to finalise a feasibility study for a borough battery, while the Surf Coast Shire has partnered with universities and renewable companies to investigate batteries at Torquay North and Lorne.