PowerBank community battery storage

Imagine being able to bank your excess solar energy in a shared battery.

Well that’s what we’re trialling with our PowerBank community battery project.

In 2018, we partnered with Synergy to install three community-scale batteries utilising Tesla technology. 

Watch the video to see how it works.

The PowerBank is a form of community battery.

It integrates bulk solar battery storage into the existing electricity grid, while also providing customers with virtual storage for their excess solar energy.

This means that eligible customers who generate solar energy through panels on their rooftops can virtually store their excess solar energy in the battery. Then later on, when the sun isn't shining, they can withdraw their energy for use. 

The first PowerBank trial was in Meadow Springs, near Mandurah. The trial involved 44 residents who were able to virtually store their excess energy in the PowerBank community battery and draw the energy back out for use when needed. The residents saved an average of $228* each and had a collective saving of $11,000* across the trial.

Watch the video to find out more....

* Estimated savings only calculated by comparing consumption and costs incurred by individual trial participants on the PowerBank Trial and the A1 Home Plan over the same period. Variances in export and consumption will affect individual costs and potential savings.

Across the first three PowerBank battery projects, up to 192 households had access to between 6-8kWh of virtual storage.

At the cost of $1 to $2 per day, participants were able to store their excess solar energy in the battery and draw it back out when needed.

In the first year of the Meadow Springs trial, 95 per cent of customers saved money on their power bills.

The project also supported the region’s power supply during times of peak demand – when electricity consumption is at its highest – which is a smarter, customer-focused approach to infrastructure investment in the area.