Network says new community battery will deliver cheaper bills to locals from storage as a service scheme

Thousands of residents on the New South Wales Central Coast could soon be able to save around $200 a year on their energy bills thanks to the continued expansion of Ausgrid’s Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) initiative and a new 5 megawatt (MW) community battery.

Ausgrid, Australia’s largest distributor of electricity, has announced the launch of its latest 5 MW community battery, located in Long Jetty on the Central Coast.

The battery was delivered in partnership with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and expands Ausgrid’s ESaaS initiative, which aims to provide energy bill savings to everyone, including those currently locked out of the benefits of solar and battery storage.

“Each community battery serves as a shared asset that absorbs solar energy during the day and then pushes it back into the grid during the evening peak when prices are highest,” said Rob Amphlett Lewis, Ausgrid’s group executive for distributed services.

“It offers cheaper bills for the local community, more effective management of the network, and supports more renewables in the grid. These benefits are stacked – making it a cost-effective investment for everyone.