An innovative project is helping organisations install 39 batteries that benefit the community and unlock potential revenue streams.
The project, which has received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and is being coordinated by Hydro Tasmania's energy retailer Momentum Energy, will see batteries installed at community and professional sporting clubs, a major university, retirement living, retail facilities and small-scale agricultural solar farms.
The project kicked off with the official launch by The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy at the Brisbane Lions Football Club today. A battery energy storage system with a capacity of 1400 kWh is being developed by renewable energy company, Energy Decarb, to help to power the club's home ground, Brighton Homes Arena, and the Springfield community.
The wider project will help 11 project participants including the Brisbane Lions reduce their electricity costs and unlock another income stream by connecting it to the Hydro Tasmania Virtual Power Plant (VPP), allowing excess solar PV or grid energy to be stored and sold into the National Electricity Market when needed.
"The unique opportunity for this project is to demonstrate the value of connecting batteries to the Hydro Tasmania Virtual Power Plant, or VPP. We're excited to showcase how a VPP can help drive additional revenue from these batteries to support our project participants like the Brisbane Lions. A VPP can help make a more compelling case for investment in batteries," said Momentum Energy Managing Director Lisa Chiba.
"VPPs can also play a key role in stabilising the electricity grid as it transitions to having more renewable energy sources including intermittent power sources like solar and wind. This is because VPPs can quickly send power to the grid when it's needed or even soak it up or store it when there's too much available. And there are financial incentives for organisations that can provide this type of service to the electricity grid."
Through this project, batteries will soon be installed at Collingwood Football Club, Cricket Victoria, Living Choice retirement villages at Flagstaff Hill and Fullarton, Living Choice Lifestyle Village at Mount Barker, Aston Hills Shopping Centre and Athelstone Shopping Centre.
In coming months, batteries will be installed at the University of Wollongong, Tweed Heads Bowls Club, and solar farms in the Riverland in South Australia.
Core to this project is the VPP developed by Momentum Energy's parent company, Hydro Tasmania. A virtual power plant is a network of energy assets grouped together to pool their power capability and respond to grid demand. It includes energy-producing and storing assets that can export into the grid when needed, like solar PV panels and batteries, as well as energy-consuming assets that can be turned up or down in response to market demands.
"Using advanced algorithms, automation, and artificial intelligence, the Hydro Tasmania Virtual Power Plant gets individual assets to work together and enable them to respond to the demands of the market," Lisa said.
Yvonne Macleod, CEO of Energy Decarb, said the batteries at the Brisbane Lions Football Club are expected to soak up approximately 520MWh of excess solar power from the local electricity network per year, to supply that stored solar back to the network during high demand periods in the evening.
"The capacity of the first stage of this battery project could meet the peak demand of approximately 170 average households in South East Queensland each day," Yvonne said.
"When the Brisbane Lions are playing televised events at Brighton Homes Arena, the battery will be discharging to reduce the peak demand at the site by up to 50%. This will reduce the pressure and demand on the electricity network and the need for additional investment in the electricity grid over time."
Recognising the importance of VPPs to the clean energy transition, Hydro Tasmania received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the Community Battery Round 1 under ARENA's Advancing Renewables Program. Momentum Energy is coordinating the project on behalf of Hydro Tasmania.
The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government, and the Australian Government does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.
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About Momentum Energy Momentum Energy is 100 per cent owned by Hydro Tasmania, Australia's largest generator of renewable energy and supports the shift to renewables by being a trusted partner to businesses and households looking to decarbonise.
