Power Banks
A PowerBank is a type of community battery, situated in a local area, that is shared by eligible customers who generate solar energy. Each PowerBank customer has a storage capacity of 6kwh or 8kwh.
We currently have PowerBank batteries running in Meadow Springs, Falcon and Ellenbrook. These are in partnership with Synergy.
Customers are allocated virtual storage in the PowerBank battery. As their solar panels generate solar power during the day, they can automatically store up to 6kwh or 8kwh of excess or unused power in the battery.
From 3pm to midnight – when grid energy use is generally at its peak – households can draw energy back from the battery to power up their homes. At midnight, any excess power still in the battery is returned to the grid, with the householder paid the standard feed-in tariff.
In partnership with Synergy, we’ve been running an Australian-first two-year trial in Meadow Springs, Falcon and Ellenbrook.
Our initial trial in Meadow Springs allowed us to test the physical capabilities and needs of the batteries and infrastructure, which has proven to be both robust and efficient.
Participants could store their excess rooftop solar during the day in the battery, and then use the power later when they were no longer generating solar energy.
A range of customers with different household energy use patterns participated, with the battery cost highly subsidised. This gave us a chance to test what kind of household energy use best suits the battery solution, and how much excess power they needed to store.
Each of the participating households were also given an advanced meter, so they could learn more about their own energy use.
We’ve also learned that the PowerBank batteries work particularly well for households who generate a lot of solar energy during the day, but aren’t home to use it. It’s also proven to be up to 30% cheaper than buying an in-home battery.
However, the trial also demonstrated that if you have solar panels and efficiently use that energy during the day, a PowerBank battery, or any type of battery, isn’t likely to benefit your household, so battery storage is not an effective option for everyone.
From a network perspective, PowerBank batteries have shown to be an effective tool in helping the network cope with peak solar power generation in high solar areas like Meadow Springs, smoothing the flow of energy and reducing the chance of faults.
All trials have been operating in a similar manner, with minor changes along the way as we learn more about the type of customer the solution suits best, their typical battery storage needs, and the related pricing implications.
This solution has no upfront costs or lock-in contracts. It’s around 30% cheaper than buying a battery for your home (over the course of the battery’s lifespan). A home battery system generally costs between $8,000 to $13,000.
Having access to a PowerBank battery, means you avoid spending years locked into a contract paying off an in-home battery. You get the right size battery for your needs and, as its virtual, don’t need to find extra space in the garage to set the battery up.
This solution is also better for our grid. The grid powers our hospitals, schools, homes and infrastructure, so remaining connected benefits the entire community
Plus, a PowerBank battery increases the use of renewables during peak hours when the sun typically isn’t shining, so it’s contributing to a more renewable energy mix for WA.
As we manage the grid, our role has been to develop the project, find the optimal location for that benefits the community, install the equipment, ensure it’s connected to the grid correctly and monitor the performance of the trial.
We now have three PowerBank trials underway which includes 12 battery projects in total. These span across Perth metro and regional WA.
PowerBank batteries are still in the trial phase and we’re testing all possibilities to make sure this works for residents before rolling it out further. However, we’re actively exploring opportunities and investigating potential sites for any future PowerBanks.
Community batteries like PowerBanks and batteries as part of a microgrid, like the one in Perenjori, will play a big role of the future of our grid.
You need to be within the relevant council area in order to access the PowerBank battery.
You need to live in the local government area (LGA) where a PowerBank trial is being conducted and be invited to join.
We recruiting for people to be involved in each trial, based on what we know about the type of household the community battery suits. Our trial partner Synergy (as the retailer) will be in touch if we think your household is suitable for an upcoming community battery installation.
If you have solar panels generating power and you’re not home during the day to use it, this solution may benefit you. It may also suit you if you’ve been considering buying an in-home battery. As our advanced metering infrastructure develops, further data will be available to understand who suits battery storage.
It depends on your situation. If you were looking to install an in-home battery, yes. This solution is approximately 30% cheaper than buying and installing your own battery. It may even save you money on your overall power bill Synergy manages all billing for our residential customers.
The PowerBank battery is a useful green solution for customers who don’t consume much of their household solar energy. If you efficiently use your solar energy during the day, a PowerBank battery or any type of battery storage may not benefit your household.
If at any point you find that the PowerBank battery is not for you, you can either change the plan you’re on or disconnect from the PowerBank battery altogether. There are no lock-in fees or contracts and it provides a great way to see if battery storage is for you, without the heavy upfront and ongoing maintenance costs of owning a home battery.
In partnership with Synergy, we recruit for people to be involved in each trial, based on what we know about the type of household the community battery suits. We will be in touch if we think your household is suitable for an upcoming community battery installation.
There are several potential cost savings. The PowerBank battery allows you to store your excess solar energy without having to outlay significant costs to have your own home battery (approximately $8,000 to $10,000 for similar sizes).
For the PowerBank 3 trial, participants pay a daily subscription fee of $1.20-$1.40 to access the battery. The subscription fee is based on the size of virtual storage you have access to (6kWh or 8kWh) and Synergy will advise you of the recommended storage size based on your historical energy use data.
To withdraw your stored solar energy during peak periods, you will also gain access to ‘off-peak’ pricing between 9pm and 7am each day. Energy during this period is only 15.1c per unit compared to the standard 28.8c per unit (A1 tariff).
As part of a PowerBank battery trial, participants will need to upgrade to an at no cost. The meter will provide information on energy use which participants can track in the My Account section of the Synergy website.
Yes, an upgrade to an advanced meter is required to be part of the PowerBank trial, which will be provided at no cost to you.
Synergy manages the customers involved with the PowerBank battery trial. If you have questions about your power use or power bills as part of the trial, please call Synergy.
You’ll be charged a daily subscription fee to use the PowerBank battery, including your usual daily supply charge for the grid, plus time-of-use rates under Synergy’s Home Battery Plan for any electricity you use from the grid (excluding the battery usage)