OVERWHELMING interest from Meadow Springs homeowners has led to the launch today of Australia’s first community battery storage trial three months ahead of schedule.
The original Go Live date was scheduled for early next year but brought forward after residents snapped up the 52 available spots in just two weeks.
The trial is a collaboration between Western Power and Synergy and launched at Meadow Springs two weeks ago.
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READ NOWThe homes will be able to store and use their own power for $1 a day in the two year trial.
A 105kW Tesla battery owned and operated by Western Power and Synergy and connected to the grid in Meadow Springs will enable households with solar panels to maximise their existing grid connection.
Customers involved in the trial will be able to store excess power generated during the day in the battery and use it during the peak evening period after 3pm.
Meadow Springs was chosen because it has the highest solar uptake in Australia, apart from a town in Queensland.
The 52 households were chosen from 200 in a mail-out.
It will be the first time in Australia that a utility-scale based battery is integrated into an already established major metropolitan network.
Mandurah MLA David Templeman said the early launch was further proof the Mandurah community were innovators and keen to embrace changes in technology.