For solar customers participating in a community battery trial, this solution enables customers to receive more benefits from the clean energy they generate, getting more value from their solar investment, without needing to own and maintain their own household battery system.

Unlike a household battery, a community battery allows solar customers connected to the same local electricity network to share in a larger ‘community’ battery that is owned and maintained by Ausgrid.

But the benefits aren’t limited to solar customers.

Community batteries encourage greater solar uptake by households and businesses, increasing the amount of renewable energy in the system. They make access to battery storage more equitable and accessible for all customers, particularly those who aren’t currently able to install their own household battery.

Community batteries could also offer a flexible alternative to traditional poles and wires investment and can reduce peak demand helping distributors like Ausgrid place downward pressure on energy prices. 

Trial sites have been selected to maximise the benefit to local solar customers and offer a cheaper alternative to a traditional poles and wires network.

To maximise the benefit to local solar customers, we have selected areas where there is a high number of customers served by the local distribution kiosks, who already have solar power systems.  

To optimise the benefit to local network infrastructure, we have selected areas where future growth in solar systems or customer demand might be better managed by a community battery.

To help deliver the trial at least cost, we have preferred sites where community battery installation and maintenance costs are minimised.

Community batteries are connected to distribution kiosk substations – the green boxes located in local neighbourhoods that contain important electrical equipment.

Customers are connected to the same local ‘low voltage’ network supplied by each kiosk and all solar customers connected to the same kiosk are eligible to take part. That includes current and future solar customers.

We appreciate your interest and support in this project.

Participation for the Community Battery trial across all the locations is now closed.

To get regular updates about the progress of the trial, you can sign up to our distribution list.

If you are a trial participant you can access support and FAQS via this site. 

The intent of the trial is to test how community batteries can help us manage local networks in a flexible manner as well as to test different service offers with trial participants and their overall experience during the trial. Results of the trial will inform a potential wider scale roll out in the future.

By participating, you will be part of an innovative new technology trial that aims to explore how the benefits of community batteries can be shared with customers and the wider community and support the uptake of renewable energy in the electricity system. 

You also have the opportunity to save more on your electricity costs through earning credits from storing excess solar generation.

The broader environmental benefits are also important – community batteries enable customers to add more renewable energy into the overall electricity system closer to where the electricity is used by customers.

The trial is running for two years. It started in 2021 and will end in late 2023.

Yes. Only solar customers in targeted areas can participate in Community Battery trial.

Ausgrid currently has three community batteries for its two-year community battery trial. These are located in Cameron Park, Beacon Hill and Bankstown.

The Ausgrid Community Battery trial aims to explore an alternative solar storage concept where solar customers can virtually store their excess solar energy and receive the benefits of solar storage without the need to install a household battery.

Participating customers will continue to receive an electricity bill from their retailer and still receive savings from having a solar power system. In addition, they will also receive credits from Ausgrid every quarter, for the excess electricity they virtually store with the community battery.

No. Participating customers will not need to change retailers or change their retail plan to participate in the trial.

Trial participants will be able to virtually store up to 10kWh of excess solar energy each day. This excess energy will be credited against their electricity use for that day. Every quarter Ausgrid will deposit community battery credits into participating customers’ nominated bank account using a secure payment service provider.

Customers will have access to a mobile App and an online portal that shows them real-time summary information of how much solar energy they are exporting to the grid, and how much energy they are using.

The measurement device records how much excess energy a customer’s solar power system has stored each day, up to a limit of 10kWh. Credits for this excess energy are applied against your energy usage on that day. The credits will vary each day and will depend on the amount of excess solar you export, how much and when you use energy that day and your electricity pricing plan.

Your payment credits will be paid into your nominated bank account each quarter, via bank transfer using a secure payment provider. This is set up after your Droplet is installed.

The measurement device records how much excess energy a customer’s solar power system has stored each day, up to a limit of 10kWh. Credits for this excess energy are applied against your energy usage on that day. The credits will vary each day and will depend on the amount of excess solar you export, how much and when you use energy that day and your electricity pricing plan.

There is no cost for participating in the trial. However, the benefits you receive will depend on your solar exports and energy usage patterns. 

We estimate that most participants on a time of use pricing plan would receive between $50 to $250 per year.

There are no fees to sign up or participate in the Community Battery trial.

The maximum storage capacity of 10kWh each day was chosen because it is around the size of an average household battery and so that as many customers as possible in each area can benefit from the shared community battery.

A separate smart measurement device will be installed near your solar inverter or electrical switchboard. This device will measure your solar system generation, energy flowing to and from your house and other large electrical appliances.

The energy data collected will be used to calculate your community battery storage credits. Your recorded energy data will be visible only to you through your mobile phone application during the trial and through the online portal. Ausgrid and its project partners will also have access to the data for the purposes of the trial.

 

Yes, participation in the trial is voluntary.

Customers will be able to leave the trial at any point if their personal preferences or circumstances change. Customers leaving the trial will not face financial penalties for doing so.

Best of all, customers will not be required to change retailers, or change their retail plan to participate in the trial.

As part of the trial, a smart measurement device called a ‘Droplet’ will be installed to measure your solar power and the amount of power your household is importing or exporting. This is needed to calculate your community battery credits and is separate to your electricity meter.

In some cases, we may also measure a major household appliance of your choice, such as an air conditioner or pool pump, so you can view the appliance’s energy usage in the app.

The Droplet doesn’t need to be maintained by you. During the trial, you may notice an Ausgrid representative and technician visit your property to check your Droplet, as part of a post installation check.  This is a standard Ausgrid maintenance process which means they will not contact you prior to visiting, unless they need specific access to your property. They will knock first to check if you are home, however you do not need to be present.  

The energy data collected will be used to calculate your community battery credit payment. Your recorded energy data will be visible to you through your mobile phone application during the trial and through the online portal. Ausgrid and its project partners will also have access to the data for the purposes of the trial, which is kept secure and sent via a 4G SIM card inside the measurement device.

The installation will vary depending on your property and what kind of meter board and inverter you have. In most cases, the measurement device will be enclosed in a weatherproof box next to your meter board.

Participation in the trial is voluntary to those who are eligible to join. The trial will run for two years; however, participants can opt out at any time. If you move house or decide to opt out, your participation in the trial will end. You will need to notify Ausgrid in writing and allow access for Ausgrid or its partners to remove the measurement device.

Being a trial, some learnings are expected as we are testing new technologies. If you notice that the data displayed on your app looks unusual or has gone offline for an extended period (more than 2 days), then contact the project team at sharedbattery@ausgrid.com.au or call 1800 995 674.

Ausgrid strongly advises against touching or making changes to the enclosure, as this may affect the specific way it has been installed to calculate your credits. If you feel there is something that needs to be changed, please call us and we will arrange for a technician to visit your property.

If there is an issue with your smart measurement device, please notify the project team by calling 1800 995 674 or emailing sharedbattery@ausgrid.com.au for assistance.

For support on using the app, view the My Account page and read the SwitchDin user guide. You can also contact the project team by calling 1800 995 674 or emailing sharedbattery@ausgrid.com.au for more assistance.

View the My Account  page for help setting up your account.
For technical issues contact the project team by calling 1800 995 674 or emailing sharedbattery@ausgrid.com.au.