Batteries store support for Ballan club

SOLAR panel batteries are set to help Ballan Football Netball Club save thousands of dollars during what is a critical financial time for community groups.

Recently the club officially recognised the $30,000 batteries after they were installed earlier this year.

“The cost-of-living crisis is not just about impacting residential homes, it dramatically impacts small community clubs like ours,” said Ballan Football Netball Club grants officer and committee member Brendon Chavasse.

He said they were confident the devices would help the club save thousands of dollars on electricity each year.

“Cost of electricity has gone high,” he said.

“We might have upgraded in impressive oval lights, but we’ve only got one oval, one set of lights. They get used nearly every single night.”

In their continuing search for efficiencies, committee members realised the benefit the batteries would have in supporting the club’s energy use.

“We’ve got solar panels, but we’re only really using the power at night time,” Chavasse said.

“We’re not getting the maximum effect out of those solar panels.

“So the committee had a big chat and said, what about batteries?”

Chavasse began investigating and found Moorabool Wind Farm had an annual grant that had the potential to be used for purchasing the batteries. The club was successful in its application.

“You’re talking about a very small football netball club, and $30,000 has a very impressive impact on the bottom line,” he said.

“Would we have been able to afford batteries ourselves? Absolutely not.

“That 30 grand paid for the entire supply and installation of the package, and the whole club is absolutely rapt.”

Ballan Football Netball Club president David O’Hanlon said they were appreciative of the wind farm and what it had done for the club.