Joint Media Release, 20 April 2024

The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Andrew Barr MLA, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Hon Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury, Assistant Minister for Employment, Member for Fenner
David Smith MP, Member for Bean
Alicia Payne MP, Member for Canberra

Three new community batteries are on the way for Canberra thanks to $1.5 million in funding from the Albanese Government.

The batteries, which will be installed in Casey, Dickson and Fadden, are yet another exciting step towards Canberra’s cleaner, greener future.

The ACT Government and Evoenergy will work together on delivery. Evoenergy will design and maintain the batteries which are likely to produce 160 kilowatts of power and store 400 kilowatt hours of energy.

The grant funding is part of the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar program, delivering community batteries across Australia to support lower electricity bills and emissions, support storage of excess solar energy and reduce pressure on the grid.

The three batteries will be installed by 31 March 2025.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

"Delivering more storage enables more households to reliably access the cost-of-living relief offered by solar.

We committed to deploy 400 community batteries to help households access cheaper, cleaner energy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing."

Quotes attributable to Chief Minister and Minister for Climate Action, Andrew Barr:

"These batteries will increase storage capacity in the electricity network and allow more households to connect rooftop solar.

The ACT continues to lead the nation on climate action, with battery storage technology a critical component of our net-zero emissions future.

Since 2020, 100% of electricity in the ACT has come from renewable sources, and initiatives like community batteries prove the viability of local renewable energy generation and storage in supporting a robust, affordable, and sustainable energy grid."

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh:

"Community batteries spark a powerful connection between sustainable power and social capital. With their capacity to store clean electricity, community batteries generate a positive charge, powering not just devices but also the spirit of cooperation.

They're a shining example of how a shared spark can power up an entire neighbourhood, electrifying the community."

Quotes attributable to Member for Bean, David Smith:

"The residents of Bean have voted with their roofs and embraced solar. This community battery makes the grid more reliable, more efficient and gives even more households an opportunity to benefit from cheaper renewable energy."

Quotes attributable to Member for Canberra, Alicia Payne:

"Canberrans are passionate about renewable energy and I’m proud Labor is supporting us to use more of it.

These batteries will enable more households to access energy from rooftop solar, including those who can’t install the panels themselves, and will enable our community to store more of the solar energy we’re already generating."