Batteries at different scales will have a role to play in bolstering the ACT's electricity grid, as the shift to renewable energy puts greater pressure on power supplies in the territory, the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister has said.
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Shane Rattenbury said batteries will become a very effective part of the electricity system as the price comes down, opening roles for more use of household-scale, neighbourhood and large-scale battery systems.
"We're in the middle of a major transition of our energy system. With population growth, we're going to need to upgrade the electricity grid anyway, but with the electrification of so many things - be it households, businesses, industrial sector and of course our transport - we will need to strengthen the grid," Mr Rattenbury said.
There are now 20 accredited suppliers in the ACT government's rebate scheme for battery installations, which offers either $3500 or half the cost of the installation, whichever is lowest. The scheme began in 2016.
Mr Rattenbury said an extra six suppliers in the scheme would help businesses and households modernise their power supply systems.
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The minister made the comments at the Manuka Tennis Club, which has become the ACT's first carbon-neutral tennis club after it was helped by the government's scheme to install a battery and solar system.
The club's president, Bill Brummitt, said the system now meant the club had eradicated its electricity bill.
"The biggest charge on our electricity bills was for lighting the courts at night. Without the battery, we would be selling the electricity generated from the solar panels during the day and buying back at a more expensive rate at night," Mr Brummitt said.
"With the battery we can run a full night of competition tennis off the battery and still have 2 per cent left at the end. Once the battery is fully charged in the daytime, we're feeding electricity back into the grid."
Eligible households can also access interest-free loans, backed by the ACT government, to cover the cost of home battery storage systems up to $15,000.
Early work on Canberra's Capital Battery project began late last year - which is close to the ACT-NSW border and just north of the Queanbeyan substation - with the 100 megawatt large-scale battery expected to come online in 2023.
International renewables provider Neoen is constructing the power station, which will supply electricity to the region and back up other generation sources in the network.
A five-megawatt battery in West Belconnen, which came online last year, can supply power to 5400 homes for an hour and send power to the grid in the event of a sudden demand surge.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
