Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day – A Year of Small Steps Towards a Community Battery

Over the past year, a dedicated group of local residents has been working together to bring a community battery project to life in the 2251 postcode area. This initiative aims to provide affordable electricity to households, but the journey has been filled \with both progress and challenges. Here's an overview of what we’ve achieved so far and the goals we’re working toward.

What is a Community Battery and How Can It Benefit Local Residents?

A community battery is a shared energy storage system owned and managed by the Local Community as a not-for-profit initiative. Our planned battery will store electricity generated from rooftop solar panels during the day and make it available for use by members once the sun goes down. This will not only lower electricity costs but also allow the battery to be charged from the grid during off-peak times, further reducing costs. Importantly, even residents without solar panels can benefit from the scheme.

The result? Cheaper electricity for the community, better use of excess solar power, and a reduction in carbon emissions—a true win-win-win for everyone!

However, while this concept is promising, getting it off the ground is no small feat. Community-owned batteries are relatively new in Australia, and there’s no well-established model to follow. Our progress has involved navigating a complex landscape of stakeholders, including:

• Energy retailers

• Ausgrid

• Battery site owners

• Battery manufacturers

• Central Coast Council

• Local political figures and energy players

• Potential scheme subscribers

Despite the challenges, we’ve made important strides across several areas:

Our Legal Structure and Status

We knew from the start that formalizing our group’s legal status was crucial. Initially, we aimed to become an Incorporated Not-for-Profit Association. However, after generous pro bono advice from a Sydney law firm), we adopted a more appropriate structure—a Company Limited by Guarantee.

More recently, we secured registration with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), which strengthens our standing as a legitimate environmental not-for-profit and opens up new funding opportunities.

Securing Funding

Funding is critical to the project's success, and our pursuit of it has been a rollercoaster. One of our first goals is to conduct economic modelling to understand the financial scope of the project. The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has expressed interest in helping with this, but securing the grant for their involvement has been a challenge.

Our initial grant application to Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) was rejected. However, after a review meeting where we highlighted the project’s wider potential, we are cautiously optimistic that funding approval is on the horizon.

Collaborating with Ausgrid

Earlier this year, we made contact with Ausgrid, who has been supportive of the concept. We plan to engage further once the ECA grant is secured and economic modelling begins.

Finding the Right Energy Retailer

As a community group we are not allowed to trade in electricity directly so we need to enter into a partnership with an Electrical Retailer – these are companies that purchase electricity from the wholesale market and sell it to consumers and manage  billing and customer services (for example, Red Energy, AGL and Origin Energy are all energy retailers). Not all companies are open to working with a community group such as ours so finding the right partner is an ongoing challenge.

Battery Site Search

The search for a suitable site for the battery has had its ups and downs. The battery will be large – the size of several shipping containers. We found a site with potential within the former Kincumber Tip, which is Council-owned. It’s got a paved area  and, electrical connections of sufficient capacity. We held some early conversations with the company that currently runs a methane abatement business on the site. But the company remains unsure of its future plans, leaving our group to consider alternate site options.. 

Simultaneously, we have been in talks with senior management in Central Coast Council to secure their support for the project,  not least because they own the Kincumber Tip site. While they have expressed enthusiasm, no concrete commitments have yet been forthcoming. Furthermore, the recent Council elections have brought new faces to the table, so we plan to meet with these representatives soon and push for their support of the project

Exploring Battery Options

We had been in discussions with an Australian battery-maker since the start but unfortunately they are no longer able to engage with the project so we are exploring new manufacturers. Fortunately, a new federal initiative—the Battery Breakthrough Initiative (BBI)—aims to bolster Australia’s battery manufacturing industry, and we’re keeping a close eye on developments.

Building Community Support and New Connections

For the project to thrive, it needs backing from key players in the political and energy sectors. So far, we’ve received letters of support from Federal MP Dr. Gordon Reid and have had positive discussions with NSW MPs Adam Crouch and Liesl Tesch.

We’ve also been actively updating residents, speaking at community association meetings, and encouraging people to submit expressions of interest. Our contact  with neighboring groups like Electrify Bouddi is important for sharing knowledge about the energy transition we are all working towards. 

Small Wins Along the Way

Despite the obstacles, we’ve had a few key victories. The Avoca Beach Community Association pledged $1,000 to the project, and pro bono legal support from Norton Rose Fulbright has been invaluable. Local accounting firm Distinct Accounting has also provided their premises for use as our Registered Office.

We’ve come a long way. Our group is now a structured organization with a strong team of Directors bringing various relevant skills and unwavering enthusiasm. Over 175  local residents have already expressed interest in joining the scheme once it’s up and running, giving us the drive to keep pushing forward.

Looking Ahead

The past year has been filled with lessons learned, occasional setbacks, and cautious optimism. While the road ahead may still have its bumps, we remain determined to see this project come to fruition and bring the benefits of a community battery to our local area.

Are you a resident in postcode 2251 and interested in joining the scheme? Visit our website to learn more and submit your expression of interest!