Objectives
The growth in renewables and electrification will continue to drive demand for batteries. For Victoria to get the most out of our increasing distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar, more support is being targeted via the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI).
The NBI aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- support understanding of the full range of benefits that neighbourhood scale batteries can provide
- help to overcome barriers to the deployment of neighbourhood scale batteries
- inform regulatory reform
- determine which neighbourhood scale battery models provide the most benefits to the Victorian electricity system
- assist optimisation of distributed energy generation within the low voltage network
- support the decarbonisation of Victoria’s electricity system to tackle climate change.
How does the grant work?
Victoria’s $10.92 million Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI) supports a range of neighbourhood battery models in Victoria, from feasibility to implementation. Grant programs are being delivered in stages to target funding based on lessons learnt and evolving new technology.
The initiative will help understand what role neighbourhood-scale batteries' can play in Victoria’s transitioning electricity system, and demonstrate a range of benefits for Victorian communities, energy users and electricity networks.
NBI Round 2 – October 2022
Recipients of NBI Round 2 included the implementation of 2 neighbourhood-scale batteries:
NBI Round 3 – August 2023
Recipients of NBI Round 3 included 8 business cases and one neighbourhood-scale battery across 2 streams:
The Victorian Neighbourhood Batteries Initiatives Consultation Paper, provides an overview of consultation into this new technology uncovering stakeholder views about Victoria's opportunities and challenges associated with neighbourhood-scale batteries.
To learn more about how neighbourhood batteries work, visit Neighbourhood Batteries.
