The Australian Government is supporting a trial of batteries mounted on power poles across Melbourne's south east to help manage electricity from rooftop solar, and periods of peak demand on the network.
Through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the Government is providing $4 million for the trial, conducted by United Energy to support customers in south-eastern Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor said the trial, if successful, could improve the way power networks integrate rooftop solar generation and storage, and improve system reliability and security.
"The trial by United Energy aims to help solve the problem of integrating rooftop solar into the network by providing local storage, which will also help United Energy, as an electricity supplier, to manage the network during times of extreme demand," Minister Taylor said.
"The $11 million project will see 40 batteries installed on power poles at strategic places throughout the network. Each battery is capable of more than two hours of output.
"By managing the batteries, the electricity supplier can reduce the stresses on local transformers at peak times, while providing wholesale power at other times."
Minister Taylor said energy storage is a key priority under the Government's Technology Investment Roadmap.
United Energy is a Victorian energy distributor which manages a low-voltage distribution network for 660,000 customers across Melbourne's East, South East and the Mornington Peninsula.
