From a technical perspective, the suitability of an area to accommodate a neighbourhood battery includes consideration of the following:

• Ability to generate solar energy, including the availability of rooftop space to generate solar energy.
• The number of properties currently with solar access and solar panels, indicating the potential to generate excess solar energy, which the neighbourhood battery could store.
• Land uses. Residential properties and businesses are likely to have peak energy use in the evening that can use the energy stored in the battery. Commercial operations tend to have high energy uses in the day, and use any solar energy immediately, they are less likely to have any excess solar energy. So areas with residential land uses are better for neighbourhood batteries.

There are other non-technical factors in determining a good site for a neighbourhood battery based on community preferences. For example, we’ve heard that using any valuable open space would not suit many in our communities, so avoiding current or potential green space is preferable.

Involving the community is critical to ensuring neighbourhood batteries create genuine and shared benefits. While neighbourhood batteries can provide clear benefits to the energy grid and the environment by storing and sharing energy, they also provide many opportunities that can directly benefit the community. The benefits that interest the community and service the community's needs need to be defined early on so they can influence how the neighbourhood battery is designed and operated. This is because different battery project models provide different benefits.

Absolutely. The benefits of neighbourhood batteries extend beyond the properties connected to them. For example, having more renewable energy supplied to the electricity network or ‘grid’ from batteries means that our overall electricity supply is cleaner and creates fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which benefits everyone. Batteries also mean increased stability of the electricity grid and a more resilient power supply. They can also help avoid costly grid upgrades, which can positively impact energy prices for consumers.

No. Before any installation of a neighbourhood battery at a suitable site, a business case to determine the best way to deliver and operate a battery at that site needs to be developed. This current project has received funding for community engagement, technical assessments and design work. Further funding for installation of neighbourhood batteries will be required.

Through this project, we will gather learnings about the best way to fast-track the instalment and use of neighbourhood batteries across the three municipalities. We hope this information can be used by both Councils and their communities to drive more neighbourhood battery projects both in inner Melbourne and elsewhere. We know that some of the benefits that neighbourhood batteries can provide won't be realised until we have lots of them.

Both the Australian and Victorian Governments are committed to the roll-out of neighbourhood batteries. The Federal Government has committed $224.3 million for the Community Batteries for Household Solar Program.

Through their partnerships with State and Federal Governments to reach renewable energy targets, local governments play an important role in the future of neighbourhood batteries. Councils can support neighbourhood batteries through their roles in town planning (e.g. identifying and approving sites), community engagement (both for education and understanding community views) and accessing other government funding and support (such as the funding received from Victorian Government for this project).

You can learn more about the role of government in the Hip v. Hype report, Neighbourhood Batteries: an opportunities assessment for local government.

Your local electricity network operator determines how much solar you can export. One of the reasons these limits exist is to ensure the network isn't overloaded on a sunny day when those with solar produce surplus energy. Neighbourhood batteries help to increase the network's capacity. As more neighbourhood batteries are installed and the network's capacity increases, this could see solar export limits increase.

Note that in the current models being explored and tested, you will still receive the feed-in-tariff for the excess solar electricity you export to the battery and to the grid.

We are exploring different operating models as part of the feasibility study and community engagement. Different operating models provide different opportunities for the community. The operating model will determine who owns and operates the battery. Neighbourhood batteries can be owned by electricity distribution businesses, organisations such as local councils community groups, electricity retailers or private investors.

The Power Melbourne project proposes a demonstration network of 3-5 batteries owned by City of Melbourne and operated in partnership with a commercial provider. Ownership and operating models may look different for batteries in the City of Port Phillip and City of Yarra.

Financial viability depends on the operating model and ownership of the battery. This project explores some aspects of what is required for a feasible neighbourhood battery. However, as with other new technologies, neighbourhood batteries will need financial support to demonstrate all the potential benefits.

A report by Orkestra commissioned by Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance looks extensively at this topic. Read the report.

You don’t need your home or business to be close to a battery to be able to benefit from a neighbourhood battery. You also do not need to have solar panels on your building, For example, an electricity plan associated with a battery could be available for anyone in the municipality to sign up and get access to affordable renewable energy.

An apartment building can install its own battery, but this is likely to serve just that apartment building, and not the wider neighbourhood. In this case, a battery can be installed ‘behind the meter’ to share energy efficiently within the building. As an example, an apartment block might install a battery to store energy from a rooftop solar system, and use this energy to power lighting in common areas. This is not the same as a neighbourhood battery as defined in this project, as the benefits are not shared across a whole neighbourhood but in one building. It is possible for apartments to install a battery associated with shared solar on the building.

Neighbourhood batteries are significantly larger than household solar batteries. A neighbourhood battery stores between 100 kiloWatts and 5,000 kiloWatts (5 MegaWatts) of energy, whereas a typical household battery stores about 10 kiloWatts.

A 5-MegaWatt battery would store enough energy to power close to 280 average homes for a day. Neighbourhood batteries are a shared alternative to individual household batteries. The cost of a household battery means that many people can't afford one. A neighbourhood battery is a shared alternative and could be more efficient than if all homes in the neighbourhood had their own household battery.

This is a member of a group of approximately 30 community representatives from City of Melbourne, City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip. The group will learn about and discuss issues related to the Neighbourhood Battery project in detail over two workshops. They will also support the delivery of the wider engagement with the community by promoting the project through their existing networks and assisting councils in delivering the engagement activities.

The selection of champions will be managed independently by Capire Consulting Group. Capire will be looking to ensure the Community Champions represent the diversity of Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip

Not all people who express their interest will be able to be selected as a champion.

Being a community champion will help you gain knowledge about neighbourhood batteries and experience in community engagement practices. You will also help shape the future of your municipality, accelerating climate action locally.

The champions will be required to undertake the following essential tasks:

• Attend a two-hour welcome session on Thursday 27 April from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Library at The Dock that covers an introduction to the project and your role. This session will also include training on how to host your own conversations about neighbourhood batteries.
• Attend two deep-dive discussion workshops, one on Tuesday 2 May from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Library at the Dock and the second in July 2023 so you can provide feedback on how the project is responding and consider the broader engagement findings.
• Promote the project through your existing networks and channels to bring the community on the journey and build their knowledge around the purpose and potential benefits of neighbourhood batteries.

The champions can also undertake the following optional tasks, supporting us to deliver the engagement by:

• attending drop-in sessions
• undertaking facilitated engagement sessions through your existing networks/groups
• report on the engagement that you have undertaken.

Participants will receive a one-off $150 payment at the end of the role to say thank you and support any out-of-pocket expenses. We will also provide additional support as required such as support with transport or childcare, mobility aids, materials in large print etc. Just let us know what you need when you complete your expression of interest below.

Yes, we will ask all champions to attend an initial two-hour workshop on 27 April that will cover an introduction to the project, your role and the engagement essentials. We will provide all champions with a welcome pack that includes key information, regular contact, and ongoing support throughout the project via regular group check-ins or individual conversations.

Your thoughts, opinions and ideas are all you need.

You are required to attend the welcome session and read the background information in the welcome pack. You also need to be able to complete all essential tasks.

To express your interest, please complete the nomination form. If you have any trouble answering these questions or prefer to provide your answers over the phone, please call 9021 0608.

The expression of interest for champions will close midnight Sunday 16 April 2023. Capire will be selecting participants in the week of 17 April and contacting successful participants on 20 April 2023. Unsuccessful EOIs will be notified by 21 April 2023.