Grant guidelines published for $200 million community battery scheme

The federal government has announced the grant guidelines for the first of the 400 community batteries promised as part of its Powering Australia Plan which would see renewable capacity grow to 82% of all National Electricity Market (NEM) generation by 2030.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has unveiled the grant guidelines for the first 58 community batteries with applications opening on Jan. 30, 2023.

This element of the program will enable community and industry groups, businesses, government agencies and research organisations to apply for up to $29 million in grants to install community batteries in specific locations across Australia.

The first 58 community batteries will be delivered across urban and regional communities around Australia.

The DCCEEW said it had released the guidelines before the program opens in January 2023 to give interested groups time to develop high-quality applications that demonstrate benefits for communities and value for money.

The department said applications will be assessed against a series of criteria, including providing a net benefit to the electricity network; supporting further rooftop solar installations, and capacity to share the benefits of renewable energy with those properties that cannot install solar.

Further grant opportunities for community batteries will be offered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which will develop a program to deliver the remaining 342 batteries of the government’s commitment following a stakeholder consultation process.