Enova Community Energy's first shared community battery will be installed at a site in Kurri Kurri, in an innovative peer-to-peer solar energy trading initiative known as The Beehive Project.
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The one-megawatt battery will be installed at the Ausgrid substation on the outskirts of the Coalfields town later next year.
About the size of a shipping container the battery will be operated by Enova to maximise its value at the wholesale level and deliver benefits to energy customers and the community.
Enova received funding from the NSW Regional Community Energy Fund to support the implementation of the battery. It will be paired with an online platform, Powertracer, developed by technology company Enosi, which in this project will enable peer-to-peer solar energy trading.
The peer-to-peer program will enable 500 participants to buy and sell (or trade) rooftop solar energy from each other and trade with the battery itself. The project is a unique pilot, to be analysed and documented with outcomes widely shared by University of Newcastle.
Minister for Energy Matt Kean said it's great to see the regional community energy sector taking control of their own projects and embracing clean energy.
"Innovative renewable energy projects like the Enova shared community battery will help to make electricity more reliable and affordable for our regional communities."
Enova Community Energy CEO Felicity Stening said this project is unique.
"Not only is it a key strategic initiative for Enova, it's also the first of its kind in Australia. Projects like this have the potential to change the face of the electricity system as we know it," she said.
"With our partners Enosi and University of Newcastle, we're looking forward to generating great results and learnings that can be shared with the broader community, so that the capability to generate, store and share renewable energy can start to be part of the new normal."
In welcoming the project location, Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent said the community battery project is a ground-breaking initiative, there's nothing else like it in Australia.
"I'm proud that Cessnock City Council has played its part in giving it a home. The Hunter region is navigating its way from being seen as only a coal-producing region, toward a region of opportunity," Cr Pynsent said.
"This opportunity to support a community energy asset could not have come at a more important time. We're thrilled to invite our community to get involved by registering to participate."
Ausgrid chief customer officer Rob Amphlett Lewis said Ausgrid is committed to empowering customers to have greater control of their energy use by harnessing the energy generated by their solar panels.
"We are pleased to be able to work with Enova to provide access to our site and the grid for this project," he said.
Kurri Kurri locals and Hunter region residents are invited to register their application to participate in the shared community battery project, by visiting: www.enovaenergy.com.au/shared-community-battery.
Enova will invite at least 500 households with and without rooftop solar to participate. Project participants can live anywhere in NSW.
