THE EVER CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE
- scottandrobyn
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
By all accounts, the Federal Government's Cheaper Home Battery Program has been remarkably successful. Designed to help Australian households store renewable energy generated during the day for use during peak evening hours, the program offers a discount on new home battery systems connected to new or existing solar panels. Since its inception, thousands of batteries have been installed in NSW alone, with expectations that more than 2 million will be installed across Australia by the time the program expires in 2030.
But what does this mean for community battery projects like Community PowerShare (CPS), which aims to install a large, community-owned battery for use by hundreds of local residents in postcode 2251? Will there still be a need for such a battery if many residents already have their own home batteries? "Absolutely!" said Scott McClung, Chair of CPS. “Even with the proliferation of home batteries, the percentage of households that don’t have them will near 90%”
Not Everyone Can Benefit from Home Batteries
"The government's home battery program has been very popular, but it isn't helping everyone," Scott explained. "Home batteries are expensive. Even with the discount, a typical system costs $8,000 to $15,000, which many households simply can't afford."
The program also leaves behind some of the most vulnerable energy consumers:
Renters, who can't install permanent infrastructure on properties they don't own
Apartment dwellers, who may lack suitable roof space
Households with shaded roofs, where solar panels aren't viable
Low-income households, who can't afford the upfront cost even with the discount
Seniors on fixed incomes who can't justify the long payback period (often more than ten years)
"This is where a community battery like the one we're hoping to install comes into play," Scott said. "Within our local area, households will be able to join our scheme and benefit from cheaper, locally-produced renewable energy. This is particularly important as we face an ongoing fuel crisis and potential worldwide recession. Everyone is looking for ways to save money, and this battery can be part of the solution. No rooftop solar panels required, no large upfront cost, no matter whether you own or rent.”
Cheaper Electricity Just When You Need It.
Starting in July 2026, energy retailers will be required to provide a three-hour window of free electricity in the middle of each day when renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines is flooding the grid. While this is of benefit to those with home batteries who can fill them up with free energy for use in the evening, it’s not much help for people without batteries, particularly those who are out at work during the day and use most of their energy after they get home at night. "Our battery will be ideal for these people,” said Scott. “The community battery will be able to provide cheaper electricity during the peak evening hours when it’s typically much more expensive to buy from the grid.”
Equity and Energy Democracy
"At its core, CPS is about energy equity," Scott emphasized. "The government's home battery program is excellent, but it primarily benefits homeowners with suitable roofs and available capital. Our community battery democratizes access to cheaper renewable energy for everyone including renters, apartment dwellers, those who can’t install solar panels, and low-income households. We're building a community-owned energy asset that serves the whole postcode, not just those who can afford rooftop solar and batteries. That's the future of energy we want to create here in 2251."
Ready to Join the Energy Revolution?
Do you live in postcode 2251? Are you interested in joining the scheme once it's up and running? Whether you're a renter, homeowner, or apartment dweller there's a place for you in the Community PowerShare scheme.
Find out more and register your expression of interest (with no obligation) at [website]. The more expressions of interest we receive, the stronger our case for funding and the sooner we can get this community battery built!
About Community PowerShare
Community PowerShare is a community-led initiative to install a large-scale, locally-owned battery system in postcode 2251, providing affordable renewable energy storage to residents regardless of their housing situation or financial circumstances. Read about our progress to date here:
