Photo Yarra Energy Foundation, CC BY-SA
Byron Shire had bushfires in 2019-2020, floods in 2022, extreme heatwaves and long power outages in 2024 and early 2025.
These hazards have real consequences to social cohesion, human health, environment, infrastructure, and the economy. Community batteries provide energy back up and reliability during these types of natural disasters. They feed backup power from the battery to the community and to essential services, such as water and sewage treatment.
Community batteries store excess energy generated by solar panels during the day. This stored energy can be used at night, or during outages, benefitting everyone. The battery reduces reliance on fossil fuels and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy prices
Installing community batteries, can lead to lower energy prices. Large grid-scale community batteries are hundreds of times bigger than household batteries. They connect to the grid in appropriate places. By storing energy when electricity prices are low and discharging it during peak pricing periods, a community battery lowers energy costs. It can increase local community connection to low-cost renewable electricity.
Communities that have successfully trod this path, from planning to ongoing management, have benefited via a commitment to engage, learn, and understand how the process works so they can contribute constructively and share the benefits.
Governments and electricity providers recognize the value of community batteries and often provide financial incentives from grants and tax credits to rebates and low-interest loans to install the batteries.
These incentives make it easier for communities to invest in this technology.
While the benefits are substantial, there are challenges. Upfront costs, regulation, and community engagement must all be considered.
Engaging stakeholders early, exploring funding opportunities and educating residents about the long-term advantages can help overcome the challenges.
People powered up!
The community battery vision would be a game changer for Byron Shire. A community battery, or several smaller locally sited batteries, would be an investment in energy resilience and an investment in lower energy prices that share benefits equitably.
Batteries reduce energy hardship, lead to decreased carbon emissions, and a brighter, greener future.
Dr Anne Stuart is Chair, Zero Emissions Byron and Adjunct Research Fellow Griffith University.
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