Here is an interesting story:

In Australia, neighbourhoods are using community batteries to store solar energy locally. This helps reduce their bills and eases pressure on the electricity grid at peak times. Wind and solar energy isn’t always needed when it’s produced – so storing it means it can be used later when demand is high. Community batteries are being trialled in neighbourhoods across Australia. These help residents pool and share solar energy.

Here’s a short explainer.

What are community batteries? Community batteries are energy storage units based in local neighbourhoods.

Residents with solar panels on their homes can use them to store spare electricity they haven’t used. By pooling excess energy from local homes, the community batteries build up a store of electricity for later use. Typically, energy stored during the day when sunlight is plentiful will be released in the afternoon and evenings during peak times when energy demand – and its cost – is higher. This eases pressure on the electricity grid.

Community batteries vary in size and might look like a fridge or a shipping container. A one-megawatt hour (1MWh) battery can power up to 1,000 average homes for about two hours.

Graphic of community batteries. Community batteries are neighbourhood solar-energy storage systems. Image: McKell Institute Where are community batteries already used? In Australia, electricity distributors are trialling community batteries in various neighbourhoods. More than 30% of Australian homes have rooftop solar panels, according to the Australian Government. Solar is the country’s fastest growing type of energy generation and accounted for 10% of Australia’s electricity in 2020-2021.

In Western Australia, an initial trial by state utilities Western Power and Synergy in Alkimos Beach north of Perth involved 119 homes joining a community battery scheme.

Households are typically paid for sending their spare electricity to the community battery, and are then charged a bit less for using energy from it. Australia’s ABC News reports that householders saved about AUS$81,000 on electricity costs over the five years of the trial. They also consumed 85% less energy from Australia’s electricity grid at peak times.

In New South Wales on Australia’s east coast, electricity distributor Ausgrid is running community battery trials in another three areas. Ausgrid says the benefits of community batteries include removing the need for homes to buy their own batteries and keeping electricity prices down for residents and the wider community.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/04/solar-energy-community-batteries-australia/