There are trials of Community Batteries in some States, and in South Australia there is a bigger rollout of them.
Mentions about these types of batteries have been made in various topics on this Community. This new topic has been created to try to centralise any comments, opinions, experiences, and generally anything about community batteries.
For those who are members of community battery trials, we would like to hear of how you are finding if it works for you or not but only if you are allowed to discuss this.
If anyone is part of the South Australian rollout, how do you find it usefull or not?
If anyone becomes aware of any expansions or closures of trials, please let this Community know. If it is expansions of trials or rollouts, there may be members who are unaware of the opportunity and who may wish to sign up.
In the hopes of creating some discussion points, I have provided links to some items about community batteries and the development of projects. Do Governments and Electricity providers seem to be doing enough development of community batteries? How would one benefit your household? Is the rollout fast enough?
From 2023 (2024 funding round may not have occurred)
I am fully supportive of Community Battery storage whether itās for single households (if you can afford it) or for communities and thank @grahroll for his research. However, I vaguely remember that Blockchain was mentioned as a means so that household solar batteries could be pooled together for greater good. I also remember that some companies as e.g. DC Power tried to build a power supply on those principles but did not succeed. My personal opinion is that the Federal and State Governments are not backing this principle up as they should do in these climate challenged times and that the power companies as e.g. Synergy in WA are not pushing this concept hard enough to make a dent in their business. Sorry that I am so negative but thatās my view point as a normally positive person.
Just to clarify blockchainās involvement in community battery systems ā¦ āblockchainā is a digital ledger system that can be used by distributed energy supply networks to record and track all transactions on that network. Donāt confuse it with cryptocurrency (which uses blockchain technology).
A blockchain is a decentralized, distributed, and often public, digital ledger consisting of records called blocks that are used to record transactions across many computers so that any involved block cannot be altered retroactively, without the alteration of all subsequent blocks.[3][22] This allows the participants to verify and audit transactions independently and relatively inexpensively.
The research is aimed at filling the gap regarding the development of long-lasting, secure technologies that help build decentralized systems. Other consensus models, such as the Proof of Work (PoW), prevailing in cryptocurrencies, are known to be expensive in terms of energy, hence the development of enlightened models like Proof of Lightweight Hash, whereby while developing the model, an emphasis is placed on energy efficiency without compromising on security. At the same time, new technologies such as battery storage and electric vehicles are disrupting consumer habits where renewable energy is favored, and a decentralized energy market is promoted. It hails the aspect of fine access control provided by blockchain in addition to decentralization; a permission system is vital for any entities that require strict access control due to the nature of the data they hold. Blockchain in IoT and AI makes strategies innovative, adaptable, large-scale, and inclusive to make unique changes that benefit different industries and need scalability. Due to this combining of energy innovations and digital technologies, both energy and data networks become nearer to consumers, advocating sustainable, efficient urbanism. Altogether, these improvements will lead toward the emergence of systems that, aside from being technologically innovative, are also environmentally sustainable and protected. So the interaction of technology, ecological stability, and viable security provides the basis for a cleaner, stronger, de-centralized future as applied to advanced technologies, thus inculcating an equilibrium and stronger society.
Iām part of the community battery trial in Canada Bay for Ausgrid run through Origin Energy. So far it is working out fairly much as promised. They said the maximum earning rate was 4 kW per day and most days I achieve this. What isnāt so transparent is the amount paid for what the amount you are charged for withdrawing from the battery, which should be a lower price than the peak rate. The billing shows the amount of credit Iāve received but not the earning and the payment separately. The nett credit to me so far has been around $15 a month which is what I expected from the feed-in. It would be interesting to know both sides of the equation to see if Iām getting the benefit of the cheaper electricity during peak times. I had to change electricity providers to participate in the trial as I was not an Origin Energy customer. I didnāt mind doing this as the Origin tariffs were comparable to the plan I was on already which was pretty much the best rate available and I was keen to support the trial. It would not make sense for our house to have a standalone battery so I think this community batteries are a great idea for others in the same situation.
Can you see when you draw from the battery? If you can that would help work out if you are drawing at peak times or other times during the day.
If most days you are sending to the battery and grid, then the draw would mostly occur during the period when you are not generating enough solar such as early evening.
I can provide an estimated calculation for Qld from the Origin FAQ that may help. The rebate if you own panels is 27c per kWh (up to a max 4 kWh per day).
Your rebate is calculated based on the assumption that the fixed rate is 27 cents per kWh and youāre exporting the full 4kWh per day throughout the year. To help you understand, hereās an example.
Assuming you export the full 4kWh of energy every day for the year at a fixed rate of 27 cents per kWh, this is the rebate youād expect in a year:
4kWh x 27 cents per kWh x 365 days = $394.20 per year
Next, thereās a monthly fee of $15 to use the community battery. The great news is, the first three months are free, which means more savings for you! Instead of 12 months, youād be charged for nine months instead. This is the total subscription fee in a year:
$15 x 9 = $135 per year
So, after taking away the fees, this is the total rebate youād get in the end:
$394.20 ā $135 = $259.20 per year
Keep in mind that this example is just an estimate.
The yearly cost after the first year would be $180 and max savings therefore would be $214.20 per year.
Pooling of household batteries for grid support are more common as VPPs (virtual power plants). There is a regularly updated VPP list at Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Comparison Table - SolarQuotes. It certainly has gone ahead as a means of helping to secure energy supply.
When an household (whether it has a battery or not, or even if they have solar panels or not) are part of a Community Battery storage they can access some of the power stored in the Community Battery. For households that do have solar, this system is about any excess power beyond the household needs are first stored more locally at the Community Battery. If a house has a battery themselves, the Community Battery(CB) allows them to store a bit of that excess power they would otherwise send to the grid and draw some amount down from the CB rather than drawing from the normal grid. The household battery is not being used to charge/power the CB, it is only any excess power that is sent to the grid that is feeding the CB.
Thanks @grahroll , I went back to the contract and saw that I am only paid for the feed-in. No part of the contract describes a cost for redrawing from the battery. I must have read that somewhere when I was researching joining, but it is not in the contract.
I checked on the Origin Community Battery Trial website and it says:
Your local community battery charges when thereās cheaper and more solar-generated energy in the grid. The solar energy you export (up to 4kWh each day) will be the same amount of energy you get to use later.
During times when your solar energy is not powering your home, you get access to energy through the Community Battery Trial. For example, if youāve exported 4kWh of solar energy, youāll get access to 4kWh to use when you need it.
You see your savings in the form of credits every billing cycle.
I see the credit of 15 cents per kW up to 4 kW per day as per the contract on my bill, but I donāt have visibility of the power I drew from the battery. Presumably it is the same amount of electricity that I put in each day. Perhaps it will be apparent on my next bill if I comparer the kW power I have been charged for vs the number of kW used on the meter, but since I changed providers I didnāt have a starting meter read on my bill, only and end read. Since everything happens virtually I would be surprised if the meter didnāt reflect my actual usage, but am I mistaken?
If you put in 1 kWh on a day then you can draw 1 kWh from the battery. Put in 4 kWh you can draw 4 kWh, put in 6 kWh you can draw 4 kWh (as that is the maximum allowed draw).
I donāt know what your rate per kWh you pay drawing from the grid but letās say it is 27 c per kWh. Your credit of 15c per kWh (up to 4 kWh or whatever you put in a day less than the 4 kWh) would work out to at a maximum 4 kWh X 15c/kWh = 60 cents per day creditā¦30 days at 60 c/day = $15 credit per 30 day month. It would mean at your normal rate of 27 c/kWh that instead of the 4 kWh you drew from the battery costing you $1.08 it will have only cost $0.48 (27 c - 15 c = 12 c/kWh X 4 kWh = 48 c). Of course your trial may have different conditions, you may just be paid per kWh up to 4 kWh per day that you export and you may be redrawing for free.
Following is only an assumption, the provider will be controlling and measuring the import and draw from the battery and your usage will receive credits on what you draw from the battery.
On top of this you will probably still be paid a FIT for every kWh you export (including that amount that goes to the community battery). In the Qld trials from my reading, this is the case here.
Two months into my Community Battery trial and so far $58 has been sent to my account. Not every day do we achieve the 4kWh of power saving to the battery so not a āfullā rebate. Even if we were paying the $15 a month charge (starts after 3rd month) we would have āsavedā $28 over the 2 months. Happy so far with the process, I think we will continue this use.
Iāve been receiving about $15 per month since i joined the community battery a year ago. Even through winter my system can contribute the 4kWh limit, which is pleasing. What is not pleasing is that my contract with Origin Energy is due for renewal and they have put all the prices up significantly. Whereas the Origin Go Solar plan used to be about 16% lower than the reference price, it will be 4% less than the reference price when my 12 month contract ends. They have another plan, Origin Go, at 16% off the reference price but it pays a much lower feed in rate for solar. Iām not sure if I can switch to it without leaving the community battery. Origin is the only company in NSW that can offer access to the battery trial. Other companies have better plans, so I will be better off overall leaving the community battery trial. This is a very disappointing development as I fully support the trial and the rollout of more community batteries. I think shared resources like that are always going to be a more efficient and egalitarian use of investment than subsidising individual homes to have their own batteries.
As far as I know you can be with any electricity retailer even with a Community Battery, just Origin runs the Community Battery part. Just check with Origin if that is the case for where you are. In Qld the scheme is run on behalf of Energex by Origin, in NSW Origin manages trials by 3 providers (Iām not sure which area you are in).
Origin and non-Origin customers
Thatās right, you donāt have to be an Origin customer to join. This offer is available to all customers, regardless of their energy retailer.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I went to the link you supplied and after exploring a bit found that if I was in a different area it would be true that I could use other providers, but Ausgrid is the battery supplier in Sydney, and the only way to participate is as an Origin Electricity customer.
Currently Origin advise for Qld it is only available to residents of 4 Ipswich Post Codes. The Aust Govt grants site (Stream-1) lists 13 locations other than Ipswich approved for funding. Curiosity is the funding grant to the Noosa Shire Council for Noosaville where all others have Energex and Ergon as the nominated recipients. Assume the NSC battery will be used to meet council needs and not home owners?
This post offers a lot of helpful information, but it is quite clear there is no one single solution for community batteries.
I am interested in getting a community battery project started in my area (Brisbane North) for the sole benefit of the community, particularly those who cannot afford solar.
Does anybody know of any research studies in the tertiary or private sectors to assist or even drive such a project?
Contact Energex or Origin, Energex are the ones who are the providers of the Community batteries in SE Qld. Origin are the company who run the trails on behalf of Energex.
You could also get your Community to register interest in the trial by either completing the registration of interest at Originās site or by submitting a petition requesting the rollout in your area.
Thank you very much for that information grahroll, but unfortunately the Origin website points you to Energex trials and the only current trial is Ipswich, which is West of Brisbane.
The Energex website is more helpful, but is aimed at community groups that are already established.
What I am trying to determine is: are there any research studies in the tertiary or private sectors to assist or even drive such a community battery project?
Community batteries seem great in theory, but Iād still check how the billing/credit system works in your area - sometimes the savings depend a lot on how your local grid handles exports.
Mine works on what we export to the battery each day to a limit of 4 kW per day. What we place in the battery to the max 4 kW we can draw back at around $0.06 per kWh. This 4kW storage is worth $1.08 per day to me (and each month there is a $15 cost). Every month so far we have received at least a $10 refund after the cost. Those without solar panels have the same monthly cost, a reduced refund, and they can draw a full 4 kW per day.
I am sure there are different Community battery schemes around and yes, they should be studied before signing up for one. Knowledge is power, however I have seen no real drawbacks from the various battery schemes I have spent time studying.
